The name "Alice", settled upon after two former names, is after Alice Gertrudis King Kleberg, the daughter of Richard King, who established the King Ranch.

With its geographical proximity to Corpus Christi, McAllen, Laredo and San Antonio, Alice is often referred to as the South Texas "Hub City." Home to the Jim Wells County seat, the town was long known for a large cattle industry until the discovery of oil and petroleum in the 1940s. Named after the daughter of Richard King, who established the famed King Ranch, Alice continues to be a large commercial center for the petroleum industry as well as tourism, healthcare, agribusiness and distribution to surrounding areas.

The City of Alice promotes an outdoor-oriented lifestyle with an abundance of wildlife, hunting, fishing, and bird watching to both residents and visitors of the area. If golf is your sport, 27-holes surround the community within the 18-hole Alice Municipal Golf Course and a 9-hole course at the Alice Country Club. The community offers public and private K-12 education opportunities with numerous higher education options within a short drive.