Mills County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mills County
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The Mills County Courthouse in Goldthwaite
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Named for | John T. Mills |
| Seat | Goldthwaite |
| Largest city | Goldthwaite |
| Area | |
| • Total | 750 sq mi (1,900 km2) |
| • Land | 748 sq mi (1,940 km2) |
| • Water | 1.5 sq mi (4 km2) 0.2% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,456 |
| • Density | 5.94/sq mi (2.294/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 11th |
Mills County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in Central Texas, USA. At the 2020 census, its population was 4,456. The county seat is Goldthwaite. The county is named for John T. Mills, a justice of the Texas Supreme Court.
Contents
History
Confederate statue in front of Mills County Courthouse
- Among first inhabitants were the Apache and Comanche.
- 1786–1789: Pedro Vial explores a route from San Antonio to Santa Fe for Spain and passes through the county.
- 1828: Capt. Henry Stevenson Brown passes through the county to recover stock stolen by Indians.
- 1852: Dick Jenkins becomes the county's first permanent settler.
- 1857: A Methodist circuit rider holds the county's first religious service in the cabin of Charles Mullin.
- 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.
- 1869–1897: Lawlessness is rampant in post–Civil War Mills County. Vigilante committees create a reign of terror. The Texas Rangers are brought in to restore law and order.
- 1885: Goldthwaite is established as the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway builds tracks into the region.
- 1887: The Texas state legislature forms Mills County from Brown, Comanche, Hamilton, and Lampasas counties. Goldthwaite becomes the county seat.
- 1890: The county courthouse is erected.
- 1905: A Confederate Reunion is held in Goldthwaite.
- 1912: The courthouse burns down arson suspected.
- 1913: A new brick, stone and concrete courthouse is erected in the Classical Revival style by architect Henry Phelps.
- 1915: The 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.
- 1982: Oil is discovered in Mills County.
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.
Adjacent counties
- Comanche County (north)
- Hamilton County (northeast)
- Lampasas County (southeast)
- San Saba County (southwest)
- Brown County (northwest)
Major highways
U.S. Highway 84
U.S. Highway 183
State Highway 16
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1890 | 5,493 | — | |
| 1900 | 7,851 | 42.9% | |
| 1910 | 9,694 | 23.5% | |
| 1920 | 9,019 | −7.0% | |
| 1930 | 8,293 | −8.0% | |
| 1940 | 7,951 | −4.1% | |
| 1950 | 5,999 | −24.6% | |
| 1960 | 4,467 | −25.5% | |
| 1970 | 4,212 | −5.7% | |
| 1980 | 4,477 | 6.3% | |
| 1990 | 4,531 | 1.2% | |
| 2000 | 5,151 | 13.7% | |
| 2010 | 4,936 | −4.2% | |
| 2020 | 4,456 | −9.7% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010 2020 |
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2020 census
| Race / Ethnicity | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| 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.
Communities
City
- Goldthwaite (county seat)
Town
Unincorporated communities
Ghost Town
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Mills para niños
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Mills County, Texas Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.