Carpenter Real Estate was opened by Harry W. Carpenter in 1947 who moved to Alpine in l944. A native of Bell County, Texas, doctors advised him to move to a higher and dryer climate due to serious health problems from arthritis and sinuses. He accepted a job with the IRS in El Paso, Texas which was the only government position open. After a year of training, he was assigned to Alpine and the surrounding area in 1944 and became the Most Unpopular Person that had ever moved to these parts. His health greatly improved and loving Alpine, he resigned from the IRS and opened a Public Accounting Office. He then became one of the Most Popular Businessmen as most people who had never kept books and records or filed tax returns now needed his help. As Alpine began to grow, he saw the need for a real estate agency and sold the Accounting Business and opened "Carpenter Real Estate" in l947 as the first and only full time Ranch Broker in the Region. Showing ranches in that era was no picnic - few paved roads existed and car tires were not made for the off roads. In those days food, water and tire patches were his best tools of the trade. There are few ranches within a hundred miles he has not been on and his knowledge of the country is almost unequaled. Seeing the need for housing as Alpine grew, Mr. Carpenter purchased 75 acres in the north part of Alpine and developed the Carpenter Addition. Today it remains one of the nicer home developments in Alpine with approximately 75 brick homes ranging from $90,000.00 to $200,000.00. In l965 Mr. Carpenter invited his son John W. (Johnny) Carpenter into the business as a salesmen who later became an Associate Broker in l968. Johnny is a graduate from Sul Ross State University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in business. He has served as President of the Student Body at Sul Ross, President of the Alpine Lions Club, President of the Alpine Chamber of Commerce, Board Member of the Brewster Memorial Hospital and many Chamber and Economic Development committees. He has also built approximately 20 new homes in the Carpenter Addition and other areas. Although Harry Carpenter is retired, His son Johnny continues to operate Carpenter Real Estate as the oldest family operated business in the area other than KVLF Radio Station.