Alpine, TX
Music connected to Alpine
About Alpine
- • Singer-songwriter Carolyn Wonderland, known for her blues guitar, hails from Alpine.
- • The unique 'Texas Gothic' literary style has roots in Alpine's stark landscapes.
- • Railroad construction in the late 19th century established Alpine's importance.
- • A former speakeasy during Prohibition exists beneath a downtown Alpine building.
- • The drought and Great Depression devastated Alpine's ranching economy.
- • Named for its altitude, Alpine was established in 1883 and incorporated in 1888.
- • With about 5,700 residents, it's a small town, smaller than Marfa.
- • At 4,475 feet, the air is thin and the mountain views expansive.
- • Ranching and tourism drive Alpine's economy, alongside Sul Ross State University.
- • A feeling of quiet solitude and rugged beauty permeates the town.
- • The closest pro team is the El Paso Chihuahuas, minor league baseball.
- • Sul Ross State University's rodeo team has won multiple national championships.
- • The area's landscape was significantly shaped by volcanic activity during the Cenozoic Era.
- • Nearby, the Davis Mountains State Park features the scenic, rugged beauty of the Davis Mountains.
- • Alpine lies within the Rio Grande watershed.
- • The area is home to the Carmen Mountains white-tailed deer, a subspecies adapted to the desert mountains.
- • The Chihuahuan Desert grasslands surround Alpine, featuring drought-resistant grasses and shrubs.
- • The area was historically inhabited by various indigenous groups, including the Apache.
- • The Brewster County Courthouse, a prominent example of Beaux-Arts architecture, was completed in 1888.
- • U.S. Highway 90 runs through Alpine, connecting it to other towns in West Texas.