Commissioners recognize historic Alba Ranch in Dripping Springs

The Hays County Commissioners Court adopted a proclamation recognizing the historical significance of the Alba Ranch in Dripping Springs, while the Texas Historical Commission recognized the Alba Ranch with an official Texas Historical Marker.

The historical marker honors the Alba Ranch as an important and educational part of local Dripping Springs history. Over four generations, the Alba family settled nearly 1,000 acres in Hays County since Mexican-born Victoriano Alba first moved to Dripping Springs in 1903 with his eight children. According to the proclamation, additional historical contributions by the Alba family included the first recorded birth at the Hays County Courthouse — a male child with the surname Alba — and the organization of the Catholic population in Dripping Springs, eventually creating the St. Martin de Porres Parish.

The THC provided funding for the Alba Ranch historical marker through its Undertold Stories Program, which funds applications for undertold stories from counties throughout the state. The program began in 2006 to fund markers to address historical gaps, promote diversity of topics and document significant undertold or untold stories. The application for Alba Ranch was submitted in 2018, and in 2021, it was selected as one of fifteen state-wide undertold markers for funding that year.

Judge Becerra thanked Gina Alba Rogers, who accepted the proclamation: “I am thankful for this story and all the undertold stories that bring us together as a community. I’d like to especially thank Gina for continuing to seek out these untold stories because every family has a unique story to tell.”

Gina Alba-Rogers honored her relatives — Margaret, Felipe and Santos Alba — who contributed their recollections to the narrative of the Alba Ranch Historical Marker but passed away before the marker was completed. Margaret Alba (1917-2023) recalled her grandfather, Victoriano. She attended Southwest Texas Teachers College and completed her Master of Teaching at the University of Texas. Margaret’s brother, Felipe Alba (1931-2021) served as a sergeant in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. Santos Alba (1941-2022) attended Dripping Springs schools, served in the United States Army and was elected as the first Hispanic to serve as a Dripping Springs City Council member for more than 25 years.

The Alba Ranch is now known as The Stone House Ranch and is owned by C. Craig Carlton. A dedication ceremony to commemorate the unveiling of the historical marker will be held on Saturday, April 20, at 11 a.m. at The Stone House Ranch, located at 2750 McGregor Lane in Dripping Springs.