Alvin

City of Alvin, Texas
—  City  —
Location in the state of Texas
Coordinates: 29°23′37″N 95°16′18″W / 29.39361°N 95.27167°W / 29.39361; -95.27167
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Brazoria
Incorporated	1893
Government
- Mayor	Gary Appelt
Area
- Total	17.3 sq mi (44.9 km2)
- Land	16.4 sq mi (42.6 km2)
- Water	0.9 sq mi (2.4 km2)
Elevation	43 ft (13 m)
Population (2000)[1]
- Total	21,413
- Density	1,237.8/sq mi (476.9/km2)
Time zone	CST (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	77511-77512
Area code(s)	281
FIPS code	48-02272[2]
GNIS feature ID	1329478[3]
Website	http://www.alvin-tx.gov/

Alvin is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, United States, within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown Metropolitan Area. The city sits in Texas's 14th Congressional District [1], currently represented by Congressman Ron Paul. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city population was 21,413. Alvin's claim to fame is Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan, who moved with his family to the city in 1947 as an infant and lived there until he moved to Round Rock in 2003. The Nolan Ryan Museum is in the Nolan Ryan Foundation and Exhibit Center on the campus of Alvin Community College. The museum covers the entire life and sports career of Nolan Ryan, and includes a machine that lets the visitor feel what it is like to catch one of Nolan Ryan's pitches.

Jerry Koosman, one of Ryan's teammates on the New York Mets, once quipped that Alvin was so small, "it didn't have a last name."^{[citation needed]}

History

The Alvin area was settled in the mid 1800s when bull ranches were established in the area. The Santa Fe Railroad 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. But upon discovery 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.^[4]

On July 25, 1979 Tropical Storm Claudette stalled over Alvin and inundated the region with 45 inches in 42 hours. That total included 43 inches in 24 hours, the maximum 24-hour rainfall in US history.^[5]

Geography

Alvin is located at 29°23′37″N 95°16′18″W / 29.39361°N 95.27167°W / 29.39361; -95.27167 (29.393698, -95.271588)^[6].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 17.3 square miles (44.9 km²), of which, 16.4 square miles (42.6 km²) of it is land and 0.9 square miles (2.4 km²) of it (5.25%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[2] of 2000, there were 21,413 people, 7,826 households, and 5,603 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,302.9 people per square mile (503.2/km²). There were 8,442 housing units at an average density of 513.7/sq mi (198.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 82.28% White, 2.11% African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.79% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 10.88% from other races, and 3.40% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino 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 96.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.2 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 for the city was $17,016. About 10.8% of families and 13.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 15.4% of those under age 18 and 10.1% of those age 65 or over.

Notable residents

• Nolan Ryan, former pitcher for the Houston Astros, grew up in Alvin, Texas.
• Austin Miller, actor and singer. The town declared March 5, 2007, as "Austin Miller Day"^[7]
• Bill & Vicky Murphy; world-renowned evangelists, musicians, and authors.
• Joe Ferguson, football player for the Buffalo Bills, was born in Alvin in 1950.
• Cary Wayne Moore: Actor. Born and raised in Alvin Texas. Filmography and Television: Vacancy (2007), Do Not Disturb, Nia's Rape, XyZ Diaries, Big Thicket, Randy, Think for Today Live for Tomorrow (MTV), Inside the Loop, Dice, Letters to Lauren, Hell Swarm (2000). [2] Theatre: Mere Mortals, All in the Timing, The Visit, The Subject was Roses
• Finney Ross Master Leathersmith 1915-1985. Born in Missouri City, Texas on September 24, 1915; Finney Ross was a Master Leathersmith in Alvin, Texas from 1955 to 1983. Owner of Ross Saddles and Ross Saddle Shop, Ross designed and manufactured hand made saddles, bridles, chaps, bareback riggings, saddle blankets, saddles bronc riggings, ropes (lariats), belts and award plaques for the Rodeo Cowboy Association (forerunner of the PRCA).
• By the End of Tonight, an instrumental rock band signed to Temporary Residence Limited
• Bill Crider, mystery writer, see: http://www.billcrider.com/

Education

Primary and secondary schools

Public schools

Students in Alvin attend schools in the Alvin Independent School District. High school aged students attend Alvin High School or Manvel High School, based on location. Younger students are also divided by location.

6th - 8th grades:

• G.W. Harby Junior High School
• Alvin Junior High School
• Fairview Junior High School
• Nolan Ryan Junior High School
• Manvel Junior High School

Prekindergarten - 5th grade:

• Hood-Case Elementary School
• Melba Passmore Elementary School

3rd - 5th grade:

• Alvin Elementary School
• Walt Disney Elementary School
• Longfellow Elementary School

Prekindergarten - 2rd grade:

• Alvin Primary School
• R.L. Stevenson Primary School
• Mark Twain Primary School

Colleges and universities

Alvin Community College

Additionally, Alvin Community College provides basic undergraduate courses and adult education.

Public libraries

The Alvin Library is a part of the Brazoria County Library System.

Transportation

Greyhound Bus Lines operates the Alvin Station at Yellow Jacket Grocery-Citgo [3].

Postal services

The United States Postal Service operates the Alvin Post Office at 455 East House Street, 77511-9998.

Community information

Thelma Ley Anderson Family YMCA is located in Alvin.

References

External links

• City of Alvin, Texas - Official site.
• Alvin Lions Club Annual Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament
• Alvin Youth Bowling Program
• Alvin Golf & Country Club
• Alvin-Manvel Area Chamber of Commerce

• Alvin, Texas is at coordinates 29°23′37″N 95°16′18″W / 29.393698°N 95.271588°W / 29.393698; -95.271588 (Alvin, Texas)Coordinates: 29°23′37″N 95°16′18″W / 29.393698°N 95.271588°W / 29.393698; -95.271588 (Alvin, Texas)
• "Texas Storms in Brazoria County". Retrieved September 22, 2005.

	Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown METROPOLITAN AREA
Counties	Austin | Brazoria | Chambers | Fort Bend | Galveston | Harris | Liberty | Montgomery | San Jacinto | Waller
"Principal" cities	Houston | Sugar Land | Baytown | Galveston
Cities and towns	Alvin | Angleton | Bellaire | Cleveland | Clute | Conroe | Dayton | Deer Park | Dickinson | Freeport | Friendswood | Galena Park | Hitchcock | Hempstead | Humble | Jacinto City | Jersey Village | Katy | Lake Jackson | La Marque | La Porte | League City | Liberty | Meadows Place | Missouri City | Pasadena | Pearland | Richmond | Rosenberg | Santa Fe | Seabrook | Sealy | South Houston | Stafford | Texas City | Tomball | Webster | West University Place
Unincorporated areas	Atascocita | Channelview | Cloverleaf | Cypress | Klein | Spring | The Woodlands

v • d • e Municipalities and communities of Brazoria County, Texas County seat: Angleton Cities Alvin | Angleton | Brazoria | Brookside Village | Clute | Danbury | Freeport | Lake Jackson | Liverpool | Manvel | Oyster Creek | Pearland‡ | Richwood | Sandy Point | Surfside Beach | Sweeny | West Columbia Towns Holiday Lakes | Quintana Villages Bailey's Prairie | Bonney | Hillcrest | Iowa Colony | Jones Creek CDPs Damon | Wild Peach Village Unincorporated communities Amsterdam | Chocolate Bayou | Danciger | East Columbia | Lochridge | Old Ocean | Otey | Rosharon | Turtle Cove Footnotes ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

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