Editing Alba, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name      = Alba, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[Town]]

| image_skyline      = Downtown Alba.jpg
| imagesize = 280px
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| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Wood County, Texas|Wood]], [[Rains County, Texas|Rains]]
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| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
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| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
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| population_total   = 473
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| population_density_sq_mi = 517.57
| population_density_km2 = 199.87
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| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 75410
| area_code          = [[Area codes 430 and 903|430, 903]]
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'''Alba''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|æ|l|b|ə}} {{respell|AL|bə}}) is a town located at the intersection of [[U.S. Route 69 in Texas|U.S. Highway 69]] and Farm To Market Road 17 on the western edge of [[Wood County, Texas]], United States, south of [[Lake Fork Reservoir|Lake Fork]] and approximately ten miles west of [[Quitman, Texas|Quitman]]. The population was 473 in the [[2020 United States census|2020 U.S. Census]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Alba town, Texas - Census Bureau Profile |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/profile?g=1600000US4801636 |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=January 6, 2012}}</ref>

==History==
A gunsmith named Joseph Simpkins was likely the first to settle the area, arriving here with his family from Missouri around 1843. The area was previously alternately known as Albia and Simpkins' Prairie. Theories on how the community got its name differ; one claims it was because the town had been intended for white settlers only while another claims it was named for the son of a railroad official.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hla10|title=ALBA, TX|last=RACHEL|first=JENKINS|date=June 9, 2010|website=Tshaonline.org|access-date=November 25, 2016}}</ref><ref name="Courier-Gazette">{{cite news|work=[[McKinney Courier-Gazette|The Daily Courier-Gazette]]|location=McKinney, Texas|date=June 2, 1950|page=7|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29356056/|via=Newspapers.com|quote=Alba, Texas was so named because settlers did not permit negroes to live there. Alba means 'white.'|title=Clipped from the Courier-Gazette }}</ref>

The [[Alba Oilfield]] was discovered just south of Alba in 1848 by F.R. Jackson.<ref name=":0" />

The [[Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad|Missouri, Kansas and Texas Railroad]] came through Alba in 1881. One of the earliest shipments to Alba is reported to have been a telegraph office and, reportedly one of the first telegraphs received told details of the assassination of President [[James A. Garfield|James Garfield]].<ref name=":0" /> Later that year, Alba also received a post office. It closed briefly in 1882 but reopened that same year.<ref name=":0" />

By 1882, a townsite had been laid out and a number of merchants were opened in the area to serve the influx of railroad-tie cutters; population was 50 by 1884 and 300 by 1896.<ref name=":0" />

A [[Lignite|lignite coal]] deposit was discovered near Alba around 1900 and in 1902 and 1903, the Texas Short Line Railway was constructed to ship coal from Alba and nearby Hoyt to [[Grand Saline, Texas|Grand Saline]] in [[Van Zandt County, Texas|Van Zandt County]]. By 1911, five area mines produced about 40,000 tons of coal per month. Population was around 1,500 by this year.{{Citation needed|date=March 2019}} Unlike other coal mines in the state, those at Alba were forced to use convict labor, because Alba was a [[sundown town]] that banned African Americans and Hispanics from living or working there.<ref name="Courier-Gazette" /><ref>{{cite news|title=Convict Labor in Mines|first=D. C.|last=Earnest|work=[[The Daily News (Texas)|The Galveston Daily News]]|location=Galveston, Texas|date=January 14, 1904|page=2|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/29356148/|via=Newspapers.com|quote=It must be remembered that the labor situation at Alba and surrounding territory is different from that which prevails at any other lignite or coal mine in the entire State of Texas; this is due to the fact that the citizens of Alba and that community will not permit either negroes or Mexicans to work there. This makes the owners of the lignite mines at Hoyt, Tex., entirely dependent on white labor; whereas at other mines in Texas both negro and Mexican labor is permitted to enjoy the legal right to work.}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|first=James W.|last=Loewen|authorlink=James W. Loewen|title=Sundown Towns: A Hidden Dimension of American Racism|location=New York City|publisher=[[The New Press]]|date=2005|isbn=978-1-62097-454-4|pages=347, 444}}</ref>

[[File:Alba town square2.jpg|left|thumb|Alba Town Square]]

By 1990, the boundaries of Alba had expanded in to nearby Rains County, and the city had a population of 489, which dropped to 430 in 2000.<ref name=":0" />

In 2008, the town received national attention following the [[Caffey family murders]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Daughter, 16, charged in murder of mother, brothers |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/02/texas.deaths/index.html |website=[[CNN]] |access-date=23 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305184534/https://edition.cnn.com/2008/CRIME/03/02/texas.deaths/index.html |archive-date=5 March 2008 |date=3 March 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the town has a total area of 1.1&nbsp;square miles (2.9&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all land.

It is approximately {{convert|60|mi|km}} northeast of [[Dallas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sdut-texas-girl-17-gets-2-life-terms-in-family-deaths-2009jan03-story.html|title=Texas girl, 17, gets 2 life terms in family deaths|publisher=[[Associated Press]] at [[San Diego Union-Tribune]]|date=January 3, 2009|accessdate=November 28, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Colloff |first1=Pamela |title=Flesh and Blood |url=https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/flesh-and-blood/ |website=[[Texas Monthly]] |access-date=23 December 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240714201858/https://www.texasmonthly.com/articles/flesh-and-blood/ |archive-date=14 July 2024 |date=June 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1920 = 1352
| 1930 = 662
| 1940 = 675
| 1950 = 547
| 1960 = 472
| 1970 = 555
| 1980 = 568
| 1990 = 489
| 2000 = 430
| 2010 = 504
| 2020 = 473
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 430 people, 196 households, and 118 families residing in the town. The population density was {{convert|387.8|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 232 housing units at an average density of {{convert|209.2|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the town was 98.60% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 0.47% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.47% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], and 0.47% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 1.16% of the population.

There were 196 households, out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.9% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.3% were non-families. 35.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 20.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.19 and the average family size was 2.85.

In the town, the population was spread out, with 24.2% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 19.8% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 22.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.2 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $23,438, and the median income for a family was $29,464. Males had a median income of $28,125 versus $25,278 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the town was $13,675. About 11.4% of families and 16.1% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 19.4% of those under age 18 and 16.3% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
Alba is served by the [[Alba-Golden Independent School District]] and home to the [[Alba-Golden High School]] Panthers.

==Media==
During its history, Alba has had two newspapers: the Alba ''Herald'' and the Alba ''Reporter''.<ref name=":0" />

==Notable people==
*[[Carroll Dawson]], [[assistant coach]] and [[general manager]] in the [[National Basketball Association]]
*[[Leon Payne]], "the Blind Balladeer", was a [[country music]] singer and songwriter

==See also==
* [[List of sundown towns in the United States]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Wood County, Texas}}
{{Rains County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Towns in Rains County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Wood County, Texas]]
[[Category:Towns in Texas]]
[[Category:Sundown towns in Texas]]