Agriculture in Early Alvin (1:39)

The Alvin area was known for a period of time for the growing of fruits and flowers.  Among the fruits grown were strawberries and oranges. The Alvin strawberry growers decided to try refrigerated railroad cars for shipping strawberries. This was to ensure strawberries would arrive at their destination in good condition. The Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railroad agreed to try this idea. Ice from northern lakes was packed in hay and sawdust and brought to Alvin by rail. A special ice house was built to store the blocks of ice. In 1895 the first refrigerated railroad cars used in Brazoria County left Alvin with a load of strawberries. Alvin had a booth at the 1904 World’s Fair in Saint Louis encouraging people to come to the “Land of Fruits & Flowers”. A week long annual Orange Festival celebrated the orange production. This lasted only one year until frost killed the trees and the festival.  Cape jasmines grown in the area were shipped all over the country and some to Europe. The flowers were picked when just budding, tightly wrapped in newspaper and shipped in refrigerated railroad cars. They would arrive at their destination, be unwrapped and last as fragrant blooms for weeks.  Figs were also grown here with two plants for packing and shipping. Pearland, named from their pear producing also had a fig plant and so did Friendswood.  Pictures of the Depot show the loading of produce on the trains. The area also had rice growing with several rice dryers.  As the value of land increased large farms decreased.