Alfred, Texas
Encyclopedia
Alfred is an unincorporated area
northeast of Alice
in Jim Wells County
, Texas
, United States
. It is known for the outdoor flea market
s held on the first whole weekend of the month.
twelve miles (19 km) northeast of Alice
in northeastern Jim Wells County. The community was founded in 1888, when the site was in Nueces County, and was originally named Driscoll. A post office was established there in 1890. In 1904, when the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway built through the Robert Driscoll ranch to the east, Driscoll wanted the station to be named after himself. Since there could not be two post offices with the same name, N. T. Wright, the postmaster of old Driscoll, agreed to change the name of his post office to Alfred, in honor of his father, Alfred Wright, the first postmaster of the community. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad
built through the area in 1907. In 1912 a school district was formed there, and in 1914 the town had a population of fifty, a general store, and six cattle breeders. The population of Alfred peaked in 1927, when it was estimated at 300. In 1936 Alfred comprised a school, several dwellings, and surrounding farms. During the 1940s and 1950s the community's population continued to decrease, and by 1969 it was estimated at twenty. In 1979 and 1990 Alfred was a dispersed rural community with a population of ten.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
northeast of Alice
Alice, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 per square mile . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 588.0 per square mile...
in Jim Wells County
Jim Wells County, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 39,326 people, 12,961 households and 10,096 families residing in the county. The population density was 46 per square mile . There were 14,819 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is known for the outdoor flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...
s held on the first whole weekend of the month.
History
Alfred is on State Highway 359Texas State Highway 359
State Highway 359 or SH 359 is a state highway that runs from Skidmore in southeastern Texas, near Corpus Christi, southwest and west to Laredo at the international border with Mexico.-History:...
twelve miles (19 km) northeast of Alice
Alice, Texas
At the 2000 census, there were 19,010 people, 6,400 households and 4,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,597.4 per square mile . There were 6,998 housing units at an average density of 588.0 per square mile...
in northeastern Jim Wells County. The community was founded in 1888, when the site was in Nueces County, and was originally named Driscoll. A post office was established there in 1890. In 1904, when the St. Louis, Brownsville and Mexico Railway built through the Robert Driscoll ranch to the east, Driscoll wanted the station to be named after himself. Since there could not be two post offices with the same name, N. T. Wright, the postmaster of old Driscoll, agreed to change the name of his post office to Alfred, in honor of his father, Alfred Wright, the first postmaster of the community. The Texas and New Orleans Railroad
Texas and New Orleans Railroad
The Texas and New Orleans Railroad is a former railroad in Texas and Louisiana. At one point the company was the largest railroad in Texas, with of trackage in 1934, but by 1961 there were only remaining when it was merged with parent company Southern Pacific....
built through the area in 1907. In 1912 a school district was formed there, and in 1914 the town had a population of fifty, a general store, and six cattle breeders. The population of Alfred peaked in 1927, when it was estimated at 300. In 1936 Alfred comprised a school, several dwellings, and surrounding farms. During the 1940s and 1950s the community's population continued to decrease, and by 1969 it was estimated at twenty. In 1979 and 1990 Alfred was a dispersed rural community with a population of ten.