Alice

Alice is the county seat of Jim Wells County in South Texas, situated at an elevation of about 200 feet (61 meters). The town spreads across several square miles with a small downtown core surrounded by residential and agricultural areas.

The settlement was founded in 1888 as Bandana before being renamed in honor of Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg, daughter of King Ranch founder. This renaming reflected the town's close ties to the influential family that shaped the surrounding region.

Alice became central to Tejano music history when Ideal Records released recordings of Mexican musicians during the 1940s. The city carries this musical legacy in how locals connect with the art form and its place in regional culture.

The town is accessible via Alice International Airport and offers hotels and restaurants mainly along Highway 281. Most services and attractions are conveniently located near this main corridor for easy navigation.

Two Nobel Prize winners came from this small town: Robert F. Curl Jr. won the prize in chemistry and James P. Allison in medicine. This extraordinary achievement of two Nobel laureates from such a modest setting is rarely known beyond academic circles.

Location: Jim Wells County

Inception: 1888

Elevation above the sea: 61.5 m

Website: https://cityofalice.org

GPS coordinates: 27.75056,-98.07028

Latest update: December 6, 2025 22:05