Images of America: Van Alstyne relates the story of a Texas town born in
an era when small-town life was deeply ingrained in America. Founded by
1873, Van Alstyne is a close-knit, patriotic, religious, hardworking,
and progressive-minded community. Surrounded by prime farmland, Van
Alstyne thrived as a center for cotton ginning. In addition to railroad
service, a far-ranging interurban line enhanced Van Alstyne's
transportation system for 40 years. The Van Alstyne Grays, a
semiprofessional team that placed its stars into baseball's big leagues,
represented the national pastime. The town's former opera house still
stands, and so do other Victorian commercial buildings and
homes--tangible reminders of a classic American town that continues to
offer the amenities of a comfortable community.