Alpine, Arizona

History

Located approximately 75 miles south of the Navajo Nation, Alpine was settled in 1876 by Anderson Bush, a European-American who built a log house there. He originally used it as a trading post known as "Fort Bush". Bush sold his holdings in 1879 to William Maxwell and Fred Hamblin, Mormon settlers who established the town as a Mormon community. They named the community for its lofty elevation. Alpine has been affected by the Wallow Fire, the largest wildfire in Arizona's history, which entered New Mexico, burning 538,049 acres in 2011.

The Alpine post office has the ZIP code of 85920.

Geography

Alpine is located at an elevation of 8050 ft above sea level in the eastern end of the White Mountains and surrounded by the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest. Alpine is near the headwaters of the San Francisco River and six miles from the New Mexico border. Alpine is a popular destination for hunting, fishing, and camping. As of 1960, it was the highest place in the United States where farming was successfully conducted. It has the highest golf course in Arizona, Alpine Golf and Country Club at 8,200 feet.

Demographics

Alpine first appeared on the 1900 U.S. Census as the Alpine Precinct of Apache County. 95 residents in 17 households. It also was recorded in 1930. In that census it had a white majority. All county precincts were combined into three districts in 1940. Alpine's population was 165 in 1940. The 1960 census estimated 300 persons. In 2010, it was defined as a census-designated place (CDP).

Climate

Alpine has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen Csb) influence by its very high altitude and the North American Monsoon, which brings frequent thunder showers during the summer. Although temperatures are generally comfortable during the daytime, the sun is very intense and at night frosts have occurred even in summer and are an almost daily occurrence from October to May.

Winters are cold, with storms bringing precipitation mostly in the form of snow. Because Alpine is on the eastern end of the Mogollon Rim, it experiences a rain shadow from the White Mountains and receives less snowfall than points west at a similar elevation.

On February 25, 1987, Alpine tied the 24-hour snowfall record for Arizona at 38 in; it shares the record with Heber Ranger Station, which first set the record on December 14, 1967.

|Jan record high F = 72 |Feb record high F = 72 |Mar record high F = 74 |Apr record high F = 79 |May record high F = 92 |Jun record high F = 94 |Jul record high F = 94 |Aug record high F = 89 |Sep record high F = 87 |Oct record high F = 86 |Nov record high F = 77 |Dec record high F = 72 |year record high F = 94 | Jan avg record high F = 57.6 | Feb avg record high F = 59.4 | Mar avg record high F = 64.6 | Apr avg record high F = 70.5 | May avg record high F = 78.2 | Jun avg record high F = 86.2 | Jul avg record high F = 86.4 | Aug avg record high F = 82.4 | Sep avg record high F = 78.6 | Oct avg record high F = 73.7 | Nov avg record high F = 65.6 | Dec avg record high F = 60.2 |year avg record high F = 87.7

| Jan avg record low F = -3.4 | Feb avg record low F = 1.6 | Mar avg record low F = 8.4 | Apr avg record low F = 14.6 | May avg record low F = 19.3 | Jun avg record low F = 27.2 | Jul avg record low F = 38.3 | Aug avg record low F = 39.6 | Sep avg record low F = 28.2 | Oct avg record low F = 16.3 | Nov avg record low F = 6.2 | Dec avg record low F = -2.9 |year avg record low F = -8.1 |Jan record low F = -32 |Feb record low F = -28 |Mar record low F = -25 |Apr record low F = -6 |May record low F = 8 |Jun record low F = 13 |Jul record low F = 27 |Aug record low F = 29 |Sep record low F = 17 |Oct record low F = -1 |Nov record low F = -18 |Dec record low F = -28 |year record low F= -32

Government and infrastructure

The U.S. Postal Service operates the Alpine Post Office on U.S. Route 191.

Attractions

• Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest
• The Coronado Trail Scenic Byway, a 120 mi segment along U.S. Route 191 (formerly US-666) between Springerville and Clifton, Arizona
• Escudilla Mountain (10877 ft), a pine and aspen-covered mesa, popular for hiking, horseback-riding, and viewing fall colors
• Luna Lake, 3 mi southeast, a popular fishing and camping spot

Education

The Alpine Elementary School District, operating Alpine Elementary School, serves Alpine.

The Apache County Library District operates the Alpine Public Library.

Picture gallery

Alpine Country Store (and Laundry).jpg|Alpine Country Store Alpine, Arizona, November 1990 (98079207).jpg|Alpine in November 1990 Alpine, AZ, Wallow Fire 2011 Burn Around the Community, Whitewater-Baldy Plume on the Horizon, May 24, 2012 - panoramio.jpg|Wallow Fire in 2011

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. {{GNIS. 2582726
3. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Alpine CDP, Arizona". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder.
4. Byrd H. Granger. (1960). "Arizona Place Names". University of Arizona Press.
5. (1918). "The Utah Genealogical and Historical Magazine, Volumes 9-10".
6. link. (June 15, 2011)
7. "Welcome to Alpine Golf and Country Club".
8. "Alpine Golf & Country Club".
9. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
10. (1930). "Population". Bureau of the Census.
11. (1940). "The Attorneys List". United States Fidelity and Guaranty Company, Attorney List Department.
12. (1960). "Arizona". Field Enterprises Educational Corporation.
13. "State Climate Extremes Committee Records".
14. "U.S. Climate Normals Quick Access". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
15. "NOAA Online Weather Data". National Weather Service.
16. "[http://usps.whitepages.com/service/post_office/alpine-42631-hwy-191-alpine-az-1352815 Post Office™ Location – ALPINE] {{webarchive. link. (August 26, 2012 ." [[U.S. Postal Service]]. Retrieved on January 30, 2011.)
17. "Coronado Trail Scenic Byway".
18. "[http://www.co.apache.az.us/Departments/Libraries/Alpine.htm Alpine Public Library] {{webarchive. link. (August 13, 2010 ." [[Apache County Library District]]. Retrieved on January 30, 2011.)