kids encyclopedia robot

Alvarado, Texas facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Alvarado
Motto(s): 
"The Crossroads of Johnson County"
Alvarado is located in Texas
Alvarado
Alvarado
Location in Texas
Alvarado is located in the United States
Alvarado
Alvarado
Location in the United States
Alvarado is located in North America
Alvarado
Alvarado
Location in North America
Country United States
State Texas
County Johnson
Incorporated (city) 1885
Government
 • Type Manager-council government
Area
 • Total 4.89 sq mi (12.68 km2)
 • Land 4.15 sq mi (10.76 km2)
 • Water 0.74 sq mi (1.92 km2)
Elevation
725 ft (221 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total 4,739
 • Density 969.1/sq mi (373.74/km2)
Time zone UTC-6 (Central (CST))
 • Summer (DST) UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code
76009
Area code(s) 817, 682
FIPS code 48-02260
GNIS feature ID 2409691

Alvarado is the oldest city in Johnson County, Texas, in the United States. In 2020, about 4,739 people lived there.

The city was named by its first sheriff, A. H. Onstoott. He named it after Alvarado, Veracruz, a place in Mexico where he fought during the Mexican–American War.

Geography

Alvarado is in eastern Johnson County. It's where two major roads meet: US Highway 67 and Interstate 35W. The city is about 26 miles south of Fort Worth and 39 miles southwest of Dallas.

Alvarado covers about 4.8 square miles (12.5 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 0.7 square miles (1.9 square kilometers) is water. This water area includes Alvarado Park Lake, which is a large reservoir (a man-made lake) on Turkey Creek. It's located about 3 miles southwest of the city.

The city's water flows into the North Fork of Chambers Creek. This creek eventually joins the Trinity River.

Climate in Alvarado

The weather in Alvarado has hot, humid summers. Winters are usually mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

Population Facts

Historical population
Census Pop.
1880 377
1890 1,543 309.3%
1900 1,342 −13.0%
1910 1,155 −13.9%
1920 1,284 11.2%
1930 1,210 −5.8%
1940 1,324 9.4%
1950 1,656 25.1%
1960 1,907 15.2%
1970 2,129 11.6%
1980 2,701 26.9%
1990 2,918 8.0%
2000 3,288 12.7%
2010 3,785 15.1%
2020 4,739 25.2%
2023 (est.) 6,225 64.5%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2020, the city of Alvarado had 4,739 people living there. There were 1,388 households and 1,184 families.

Economy

Alvarado used to be mostly a farming community. Now, it's growing with more city-like developments. In 2007, a company called Sabre Tubular Structures built a large facility there. This facility is about 200,000 square feet and employs over 200 people. The city even received a grant to improve its roads and other services for Sabre.

Natural Gas and the Barnett Shale

In the late 2000s, Alvarado saw a lot of activity from natural gas wells. These wells were drilled in an area called the Barnett Shale. Many property owners earned money from this drilling and from royalty payments (money paid for using their land). However, when natural gas prices dropped, this activity slowed down.

BarnettShaleDrilling-9323
Barnett Shale gas drilling rig near Alvarado, Texas (2008)

Fun Things to Do

  • Alvarado Park Lake is on the west side of the city. It's a great place for outdoor activities.
  • Alvarado Parkway Park is another spot for recreation.

Education

Students in Alvarado attend schools in the Alvarado Independent School District. While there are no colleges directly in Alvarado, residents pay a special tax to Hill College. This means they can get lower tuition rates if they choose to go there.

Famous People

  • Terry Southern, a well-known author, was born in Alvarado.
  • Johnny Trigg, famous for his barbecue cooking, is also from Alvarado.

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Alvarado (Texas) para niños

kids search engine
Alvarado, Texas Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.