History of Van Alstyne, TX

In the 1850s a community named Mantua was established. However, when the Houston and Texas Central Railway bypassed that community, the residents purchased land and made a new town. That town is what we now know as Van Alstyne. The origin of the name is questionable. It is either named about the surveyor of the town William A. Van Alstyne or Mrs. Marie Van Alstyne, a shareholder in the railroad company.

Growth of Van Alstyne

When the railway bypassed the community of Mantua in 1872, the residents bought land from the railroad company to establish the town of Van Alstyne. Once the town was established, it took off and grew. The town incorporated in 1890 and had a population of 400, 2 gristmills, a flour mill, a newspaper, and a college already. 

The population did decline during the 1900s, however, it did stay active for trade, banking, schooling, and religion. In 1967 the population fell to 1608 but the businesses increased from 42 to 45. In the 1970s the town had 2,330 residents and around 40 businesses, which included 7 manufacturers. The population in 2000 was reported to be around 2,500 residents. 

What to Do

There is so much to do in Van Alstyne and the surrounding areas depending on what you are looking for. If you are looking to explore the outdoors then you can choose to explore on of the cities parks. The city of Van Alstyne is home to several beautiful parks. You can visit either Forest Moore Park, McKinney Wilson Park, Dorothy Fielder Park, or North Park to take in some of the beautiful Texas air and scenery. 

The city hosts many festivals throughout the year. If you are lucky enough to be visiting during one of the major holidays you should head down to one of these. The 4th of July Fireworks Celebration is not one to miss. Neither is the Fall der All Festival in October.