Alvin is a city in the

U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sove ...

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

within the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan area and

Brazoria County Brazoria County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2020 census, the population of the county was 372,031. The county seat is Angleton. Brazoria County is included in the Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land metropolitan statis ...

. As of the

2020 U.S. Census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, the city population was 27,098. Alvin's claim to fame is

Baseball Hall of Fame The National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum is a history museum and hall of fame in Cooperstown, New York, operated by private interests. It serves as the central point of the history of baseball in the United States and displays baseball-r ...

Nolan Ryan Lynn Nolan Ryan Jr. (born January 31, 1947), nicknamed "the Ryan Express", is an American former professional baseball pitcher and sports executive. Over a record 27-year playing career in Major League Baseball (MLB) spanning four decades, Ryan ...

, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as an infant and lived there until he moved to

Round Rock Round Rock is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Williamson County, Texas, Williamson County (with a small part in Travis County, Texas, Travis County), which is a part of the Greater Austin metropolitan area. Its population is 119,468 as of ...

in 2003. The Nolan Ryan Museum is in the Nolan Ryan Foundation and Exhibit Center on the campus of Alvin Community College.

History

The Alvin area was settled in the mid-19th century when bull ranches were established in the area. The

Santa Fe Railroad The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway , often referred to as the Santa Fe or AT&SF, was one of the larger railroads in the United States. The railroad was chartered in February 1859 to serve the cities of Atchison and Topeka, Kansas, and ...

eventually expanded into the area, and a settlement was established along the railroad. Alvin was originally named "Morgan" by the town's residents in honor of the settlement's original resident, Santa Fe employee Alvin Morgan; upon discovery that the name Morgan had been taken, the town named itself after Morgan's first name. The town was officially incorporated in 1893, making it the oldest incorporated settlement in Brazoria County. Alvin Morgan received a land grant from the state of Texas prior to 1891. Alvin was a

sundown town Sundown towns, also known as sunset towns, gray towns, or sundowner towns, are all-white municipalities or neighborhoods in the United States that practice a form of racial segregation by excluding non-whites via some combination of discriminator ...

, where practically no African Americans were allowed to live. On July 25, 1979, Tropical Storm Claudette stalled over Alvin and inundated the region with of rain in 42 hours. The total included in 24 hours, at the time the highest amount of rainfall in 24 hours in American history.

Geography

Alvin is located in northeastern Brazoria County at (29.393698, –95.271588). It is bordered to the northeast by Friendswood and

League City League City is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, in Galveston County, within the metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the city had a population of 112,129. The city of League City has a small portion north of Clear Creek within Harris ...

Galveston County Galveston County ( ) is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located along the Gulf Coast adjacent to Galveston Bay. As of the 2020 census, the population was 350,682. The county was founded in 1838. The county seat is the City of Galveston, ...

, and part of its southeast border is along the village of Hillcrest.

Texas State Highway 35 State Highway 35 (SH 35) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas, maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). It runs primarily south–north, paralleling the Gulf of Mexico for much of its length, from a junction with I ...

bypasses the center of the city to the east; it leads north to downtown

Houston Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...

and southwest to Angleton, the Brazoria County seat.

Texas State Highway 6 State Highway 6 (SH 6) runs from the Red River, the Texas–Oklahoma state line, to northwest of Galveston, where it is known as the Old Galveston Highway. In Sugar Land and Missouri City, it is known as Alvin-Sugarland Road and runs per ...

crosses Highway 35 and passes through the center of Alvin, leading southeast to

Galveston Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto ...

and northwest to

Sugar Land Sugar Land is the largest city in Fort Bend County, Texas, United States, located in the southwestern part of the metropolitan area. Located about southwest of downtown Houston, Sugar Land is a populous suburban municipality centered around ...

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, Alvin has a total area of , of which is land and , or 5.26%, is water.

Demographics

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 27,098 people, 9,710 households, and 6,895 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 24,236 people, with a

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

of 1,475 people per square mile. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...

of 2000, there were 21,413 people, 7,826 households, and 5,603 families residing in the city. The

was 1,302.9 people per square mile (503.2/km²). There were 8,442 housing units at an average density of 513.7 per square mile (198.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.28%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 2.11%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.49% Native American, 0.79%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.06%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 10.88% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 3.40% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race were 28.09% of the population. There were 7,826 households, out of which 39.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 13.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.4% were non-families. 23.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.22. In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.7% under the age of 18, 11.1% from 18 to 24, 30.6% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 103.2 males. The median income for a household in the city was $38,576, and the median income for a family was $43,987. Males had a median income of $36,216 versus $22,580 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $17,016. About 10.8% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Students in Alvin attend schools in the

Alvin Independent School District Alvin Independent School District is a school district based in Alvin, Texas, U.S. Alvin ISD is a large suburban school district south of Houston in Alvin, Manvel, Hillcrest, Iowa Colony, Liverpool, and portions of Pearland. It also serves A ...

. Schools within AISD include: High schools: *

Alvin High School Alvin High School is a public high school located in the city of Alvin, Texas, United States and classified as a 6A school by the University Interscholastic League (UIL). It is a part of the Alvin Independent School District located in central ...

* Manvel High School *

Shadow Creek High School Shadow Creek High School is a public high school in the Shadow Creek Ranch area of Pearland, Texas, in Greater Houston. A part of the Alvin Independent School District (AISD), SCHS was established in 2016. The mascot is the shark. The school wa ...

* Iowa Colony High School Junior high schools: * Alvin Junior High * Fairview Junior High * G.W. Harby Junior High * Rodeo Palms Junior High * Manvel Junior High * Dr.Ronald E. McNair Junior High * Nolan Ryan Junior High * Jackie Doucet Caffey Junior High Elementary Schools: * Golda Hood-Bobbie Case Elementary * Melba L. Passmore Elementary * Mark Twain Elementary * Dr. James "Red" Duke Elementary * Glenn York Elementary * Alvin Elementary * Walt Disney Elementary * Bel Nafegar Elementary * Bob and Betty Nelson Elementary * Don Jeter Elementary * E.C. Mason Elementary * Laura Ingalls Wilder Elementary * Mary Burks Marek Elementary * Meridiana Elementary * Pomona Elementary * Savannah Lakes Elementary * Shirley Dill Brothers Elementary

Colleges and universities

Alvin Community College A Building,Texas

Alvin Community College provides basic undergraduate courses and adult education. Alvin is in the ACC taxation zone.

Public libraries

The Alvin Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System. The library closed in 2010 to repair damages done by

Hurricane Ike Hurricane Ike () was a powerful tropical cyclone that swept through portions of the Greater Antilles and Northern America in September 2008, wreaking havoc on infrastructure and agriculture, particularly in Cuba and Texas. Ike took a sim ...

, and during that renovation, a fire broke out causing major smoke damage. The library reopened in June 2011.

Transportation

Greyhound Bus Lines Greyhound Lines, Inc. (commonly known as simply Greyhound) operates the largest intercity bus service in North America, including Greyhound Mexico. It also operates charter bus services, Amtrak Thruway services, commuter bus services, and pa ...

operates the Alvin Station at Yellow Jacket Grocery- Citgo.

Postal services

The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates the Alvin Post Office at 455 East House Street, 77511-9998.

Community information

Thelma Ley Anderson Family

YMCA YMCA, sometimes regionally called the Y, is a worldwide youth organization based in Geneva, Switzerland, with more than 64 million beneficiaries in 120 countries. It was founded on 6 June 1844 by George Williams in London, originally ...

is located in Alvin. The Alvin Rotary Club sponsors a yearly Frontier Day celebration, which includes a parade and 5k Fun Run.

Popular culture connections

Alvin was featured in the CMT series ''Trick my What?'', featuring the Froberg family, who have been members of the Alvin community for more than 70 years.

Notable people

Bill Crider Bill Crider (July 28, 1941 – February 12, 2018) was an American author of crime fiction among other work. Biography He received a Master of Arts degree at the University of North Texas, in Denton. Later, he taught English at Howard Payne Unive ...

, author *

Douglas Duncan Douglas Michael Duncan (born October 25, 1955) is a former American politician from Maryland who served as Rockville City Councilman, Rockville Mayor, Montgomery County Executive, and candidate for Governor of Maryland. He is a member of the D ...

, professional bullrider *

Nathan Eovaldi Nathan Edward Eovaldi ( ; born February 13, 1990) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Texas Rangers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has played in MLB for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Ra ...

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

starting pitcher, born 1990 *

Joe Ferguson Joseph Carlton Ferguson Jr. (born April 23, 1950) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons, primarily with the Buffalo Bills. He played college football at Arkansas. Early year ...

, former NFL player for the

Buffalo Bills The Buffalo Bills are a professional American football team based in the Buffalo metropolitan area. The Bills compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. ...

, was born in Alvin in 1950 * Gary Keithley, former NFL player for the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...

Austin Miller Austin Miller is an American actor, singer and dancer frequently seen on screen and on stage. Biography Miller was raised in the small town of Alvin, Texas (population 21,000), to a conservative Catholic family.Gunner Olszewski, current wide receiver for the

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

, Hall of fame Major League Baseball pitcher, reared in Alvin, resident of Round Rock *

Larry Wade Carrell Larry Wade Carrell (born January 11, 1971) is an American actor, writer and director. He is known for his horror movie ''Jacob'' (2011). The film earned 16 awards worldwide including the Platinum Remi Award for Best Picture at the 45th Annual ...

, actor *

Randy Weber Randall Keith Weber (born July 2, 1953) is an American businessman and politician who has represented Texas's 14th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives since 2013. He was previously a member of the Texas House of ...

, member of the

United States Congress The United States Congress is the legislature of the federal government of the United States. It is bicameral, composed of a lower body, the House of Representatives, and an upper body, the Senate. It meets in the U.S. Capitol in Washing ...

. In 2012 Weber bought a home in Alvin

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Alvin has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

References

External links

* * *
Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce

Handbook of Texas Online
{{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Brazoria County, Texas Greater Houston Populated places established in 1893 Sundown towns in Texas 1893 establishments in Texas