The city of Alice was founded in 1877 when the San Antonio and Aransas Pass
Railroad was built, intersecting with the Texas-Mexican Railroad. A definite townsite
was established when a depot and post office were built, and the city of Alice
was born, named after the wife of Robert Kleberg, owner of the King Ranch. Alice
was incorporated into a city in 1910. Today, the area is probably best known for
its scientific ranching and cattle breeding.
Jim Wells County
Population: 39,846 (up 5.8 percent from 1990)
County seat: Alice (population 20,230)
Location: East of Duval County, north of Brooks County, west of Brooks
and Nueces counties, southwest of San Patricio County and south of Live Oak County.
Size: 868.2 square miles
Climate: Mean July maximum temperature - 96; mean January minimum temperature
- 43; annual precipitation - 27.8 inches.
History: Coahuiltecans who were driven out by Lipan Apaches in 1775.
Mexican settlement was led by Tomás Sánchez in 1754. Americans moved
in starting in 1878. County created from Nueces County in 1911, named after developer
J.B. Wells Jr.
Economy: Oil and gas production. Agricultural production includes cattle,
dairy, goats, sorghum, wheat, corn, cotton and vegetables.
Statistics: Crimes per 1,000 residents (1998) - 53.876; Pregnancies
per 1,000 women ages 15-44 (1997) - 91.0; Voter turnout (1998) - 25.78 percent;
Per capita income (1998) - $16,301.
Major Tourist Attractions:
- Fiesta Bandana, (361) 554-3455
