Why visit Van Alstyne
Townapedia lists 11 museums and landmarks, 1 park or trail and 8 places to eat in and around town.
Weather in Van Alstyne
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Van Alstyne
Van Alstyne is a small, affluent, and rapidly growing city in Grayson and Collin Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 3,046 at the 2010 census, up from 2,502 at the 2000 census. As of the 2020 United States census, the population grew to 4,369 people. 2023 estimates place the resident count at 5,378.
From the Wikipedia article Van Alstyne, Texas (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks11
Parks, trails and playgrounds1
Eula Umphress and Robert Hynds Park
Park · 0.7 mi
810 South Dallas Street, Van Alstyne
Restaurants and cafes8
Rivera's Salva Tex-Mex
Restaurant
Mexican food
349 North Henry Hynds Expressway, Van Alstyne
Mo-Th, Su 11:00-21:00; Fr, Sa 11:00-22:00
Domino's
Fast food · Pizza · 0.4 mi
385 North Henry Hynds Expressway, Van Alstyne
Mo-Th 10:30-24:00; Fr-Sa 10:30-01:00; Su 10:30-24:00
Sonic
Fast food · Burger · 0.5 mi
1130 West Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne
Mo-Sa 07:00-22:00; Su 10:00-20:00
Churches and places of worship4
First Baptist Van Alstyne
Church · Baptist · 0.5 mi
565 Collin Mckinney Pkwy, Van Alstyne
History
Drawn by the economic promise of the Houston and Texas Central Railway, Van Alstyne was founded in 1873 by settlers from the nearby community of Mantua. The community was named for Marie Van Alstyne, a Houston socialite and major shareholder in the railroad company.
A post office was opened that same year, and by the time Van Alstyne officially incorporated in 1890, the town had grown to a population of 400, supported by a thriving rural economy, a local newspaper, and a college. By the turn of the century, the population had reached 1,940, and the town supported a range of businesses, including multiple banks, a grain elevator, a roller mill, and a chemical company.
Throughout the 20th century, Van Alstyne remained a vibrant rural hub for agriculture, trade, manufacturing, and banking. Its economy, along with strong community institutions, sustained the town through decades of slow, steady development and moderate population growth.
In May 2022, citizens passed a resolution establishing the first city charter, making Van Alstyne a Texas home rule city. Van Alstyne is a council/manager form of government with a mayor and 6 city council members each elected at large by place to three year terms.
From the History section of Van Alstyne, Texas on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Shopping2
Bright's Ace Van Alstyne Hardware
Hardware store · 0.5 mi
220 East Van Alstyne Parkway, Van Alstyne
Gas and EV charging4
Schools, colleges and libraries21
Map of Van Alstyne
51 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Collin County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-05-17: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2021-02-19: Severe Winter Storms (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2021-02-14: Severe Winter Storm (Severe Ice Storm)
- 2020-03-25: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2008-09-10: Hurricane Ike (Hurricane)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
North Texas Regional Airport (PNX) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 21 miles away.
- Anna 5 mi south, about 9 min by car
- Howe 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Melissa 9 mi south, about 15 min by car
- Whitewright 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Celina 14 mi southwest, about 23 min by car
- Gunter 14 mi west, about 22 min by car
- Blue Ridge 14 mi southeast, about 22 min by car
- Sherman 15 mi north, about 23 min by car
- McKinney 16 mi south, about 26 min by car
- Princeton 17 mi south, about 27 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
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Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Van Alstyne, Texas, Renelibrary, CC BY-SA 3.0
- First Christian Church, Van Alstyne, Texas - 02, HominyGrits007, CC0
- First Christian Church, Van Alstyne, Texas, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Historical Marker - First Christian Church, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Historical Marker - Umphress-Taylor Home, HominyGrits007, CC0
- Umphress-Taylor Home, Sherman, Texas, HominyGrits007, CC0
- ISS061-E-26087 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS065-E-139358 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS061-E-26088 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS040-E-102531 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
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