Trans-Pecos Texas

The area that would be Alpine had been a campsite for cattlemen until a town of tents was created, consisting of railroad workers and their families. They called their tiny settlement Murphyville and it remained as such for five years when a petition by town people rendered a name change .

At the time Murphyville became Alpine, there were already a dozen houses, three saloons, a hotel, rooming house, a livery stable, a butcher shop, and a drug store, which also housed the post office. Alpine grew very slowly until Sul Ross State was opened in 1921. The opening of Big Bend National Park in the 1940s further spurred the growth of the town.

The Museum of the Big Bend at Sul Ross is a favorite stop. For more than 70 years the museum has collected and exhibited artifacts of the region, showcasing 11,000 years of human history and culture. Kids will enjoy seeing the large pterosaur reproduction and meeting “Big Ben”, a replica, native black bear. The museum came to have him after he was struck by a car.

No matter what brings you here, Alpine is a great staging place for any Far West Texas adventure. There are ample lodging and dining opportunities. See cowboys competing at rodeo events, watch professional baseball in a historic ballpark and see summer theatre productions under a roof of stars. The Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering, Big Bend Balloon Bash, Artwalk and Big Bend Rodeo are some of the most popular annual events.

But, perhaps what will keep you coming back is the wonderful climate. At 4600 feet and perfectly situated between the Davis, Glass, and Del Norte Mountains, you will be hard pressed to find more moderate, pleasant temperatures in the state of Texas.