Mills County, Texas

Mills County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas, USA. At the 2020 census, its population was 4,456.[1] The county seat is Goldthwaite.[2] The county is named for John T. Mills, a justice of the Texas Supreme Court.

Mills County
U.S. county
The Mills County Courthouse in Goldthwaite
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 31°30′N 98°35′W
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1887
Named forJohn T. Mills
SeatGoldthwaite
Largest cityGoldthwaite
Area
 • Total750 sq mi (1,900 km2)
 • Land748 sq mi (1,940 km2)
 • Water1.5 sq mi (4 km2)  0.2%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total4,456
 • Density5.9/sq mi (2.3/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district11th
Websitewww.co.mills.tx.us

History
Confederate statue in front of Mills County Courthouse
  • Among the first inhabitants were the Apache and Comanche.[3]
  • 1786–1789: Pedro Vial explores a route from San Antonio to Santa Fe for Spain and passes through the county.[3]
  • 1828: Capt. Henry Stevenson Brown passes through the county to recover stock stolen by Indians.[3]
  • 1852: Dick Jenkins becomes the county's first permanent settler.[3]
  • 1857: A Methodist circuit rider holds the county's first religious service in the cabin of Charles Mullin.[3]
  • 1858: Mr. and Mrs. Mose Jackson and two of their children are killed by Indians at Jackson Springs, while two other children were carried into captivity. After a force of settlers rout the Indians at Salt Gap, their pursuers and a company of Texas Rangers recover the captive Jackson children.[4]
  • 1869–1897: Lawlessness is rampant in post–Civil War Mills County. Vigilante committees create a reign of terror. Lynchings and assassinations become commonplace. The Texas Rangers are brought in to restore law and order.[3]
  • 1885: Goldthwaite is established as the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway builds tracks into the region.[3]
  • 1887: The Texas state legislature forms Mills County from Brown, Comanche, Hamilton, and Lampasas counties. Goldthwaite becomes the county seat.[3]
  • 1890: The county courthouse is erected.[5]
  • 1905: A Confederate Reunion is held in Goldthwaite.[6]
  • 1912: The courthouse burns down, arson suspected.[5]
  • 1913: A new brick, stone and concrete courthouse is erected in the Classical Revival style designed by the architect Henry Phelps.[5]
  • 1915: During Jim Crow a Confederate Memorial Monument is placed on the courthouse grounds in Goldthwaite. The statue was funded by public donations, the civic organization Self Culture Club, Jeff Davis Camp 117 and United Confederate Veterans.[7]
  • 1982: Oil is discovered in Mills County.[3]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 750 square miles (1,900 km2), of which 748 square miles (1,940 km2) is land and 1.5 square miles (3.9 km2) (0.2%) is water.[8]

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics
Historical population
CensusPop.%±
18905,493—
19007,85142.9%
19109,69423.5%
19209,019−7.0%
19308,293−8.0%
19407,951−4.1%
19505,999−24.6%
19604,467−25.5%
19704,212−5.7%
19804,4776.3%
19904,5311.2%
20005,15113.7%
20104,936−4.2%
20204,456−9.7%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1850–2010[10] 2010[11] 2020[12]

2020 census
Mills County, Texas - Demographic Profile
(NH = Non-Hispanic)
Race / Ethnicity Pop 2010[11] Pop 2020[12] % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 4,024 3,498 81.52% 78.50%
Black or African American alone (NH) 26 25 0.53% 0.56%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 15 10 0.30% 0.22%
Asian alone (NH) 10 4 0.20% 0.09%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 1 0 0.02% 0.00%
Some Other Race alone (NH) 0 6 0.00% 0.13%
Mixed Race/Multi-Racial (NH) 42 185 0.85% 4.15%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 818 728 16.57% 16.34%
Total 4,936 4,456 100.00% 100.00%

Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos can be of any race.


2000 Census

At the 2000 census,[13] there were 5,151 people, 2,001 households and 1,398 families residing in the county. The population density was 7 per square mile (2.7/km2). There were 2,691 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1.5/km2). The racial make-up was 89.24% White, 1.26% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.08% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 7.73% from other races and 1.34% from two or more races. Of the population, 13.03% were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,001 households, of which 27.50% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.20% were married couples living together, 7.00% had a female householder with no husband present and 30.10% were non-families. Of all households, 27.80% were made up of individuals and 17.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.43 and the average family size was 2.90.

25.50% of the population were under the age of 18, 4.70% from 18 to 24, 20.50% from 25 to 44, 26.10% from 45 to 64 and 23.10% were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 102.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.20 males.

The median household income was $30,579 and the median family income was $37,519. Males had a median income of $25,933 and females $20,076. The per capita income was $15,915. About 12.70% of families and 18.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 22.40% of those under age 18 and 17.80% of those age 65 or over.

Media

Mills County is part of the Waco/Temple/Killeen (Central Texas) DMA. Local media outlets include: KCEN-TV, KWTX-TV, KXXV-TV, KDYW, KWKT-TV and KNCT-TV. Two other television stations from the Abilene/Sweetwater/Brownwood DMA provide coverage for Mills County, KTAB-TV and KRBC-TV.

Mills County has one area newspaper, The Goldthwaite Eagle, and one radio station, KRNR FM 107.3 which began broadcasting in December 2017.

Communities

City

Town

Unincorporated communities

Ghost town

Politics
United States presidential election results for Mills County, Texas[14]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 2,217 88.50% 271 10.82% 17 0.68%
2016 1,951 86.90% 243 10.82% 51 2.27%
2012 1,882 85.51% 279 12.68% 40 1.82%
2008 1,753 80.52% 398 18.28% 26 1.19%
2004 1,794 80.41% 416 18.65% 21 0.94%
2000 1,738 75.11% 548 23.68% 28 1.21%
1996 1,044 51.35% 748 36.79% 241 11.85%
1992 702 35.28% 753 37.84% 535 26.88%
1988 1,043 55.24% 842 44.60% 3 0.16%
1984 1,262 64.39% 688 35.10% 10 0.51%
1980 985 47.84% 1,028 49.93% 46 2.23%
1976 684 40.00% 1,012 59.18% 14 0.82%
1972 1,089 73.43% 388 26.16% 6 0.40%
1968 645 38.79% 722 43.42% 296 17.80%
1964 495 28.73% 1,228 71.27% 0 0.00%
1960 1,012 53.63% 869 46.05% 6 0.32%
1956 912 55.34% 735 44.60% 1 0.06%
1952 1,089 55.39% 875 44.51% 2 0.10%
1948 205 14.46% 1,135 80.04% 78 5.50%
1944 172 9.47% 1,428 78.59% 217 11.94%
1940 287 14.75% 1,658 85.20% 1 0.05%
1936 165 14.10% 1,005 85.90% 0 0.00%
1932 133 8.49% 1,434 91.51% 0 0.00%
1928 774 63.65% 442 36.35% 0 0.00%
1924 175 11.55% 1,289 85.08% 51 3.37%
1920 247 20.57% 669 55.70% 285 23.73%
1916 129 14.69% 640 72.89% 109 12.41%
1912 92 10.03% 573 62.49% 252 27.48%


See also

References
  1. "Mills County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  2. "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. Hunt, William R; Leffler, John (June 15, 2010). "Mills County, Texas". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  4. "Jackson Massacre - Goldthwaite". Texas State Historical Markers. William Nienke, Sam Morrow. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  5. "Mills County Courthouse". Texas Escapes. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  6. "1905 Goldthwaite Confederate Reunion". Mills County Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved November 30, 2010.
  7. Little, Carol Morris (1996). A Comprehensive Guide to Outdoor Sculpture in Texas. University of Texas Press. p. 237. ISBN 978-0-292-76036-3.
  8. "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  9. "Census of Population and Housing from 1790-2000". US Census Bureau. Retrieved January 24, 2022.
  10. "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Retrieved May 4, 2015.
  11. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Mills County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  12. "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE - 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) - Mills County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  13. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  14. Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved July 27, 2018.


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