Mills County

Mills County Offices

Mills County Town List

Mills County is located in Central Texas. The county is bordered by five counties Hamilton on the east, Comanche on the north, Brown on the west, and on the south, we have two counties San Saba and Lampasas.

Mills County seat is Goldthwaite. The center of Mills County is 31°31′ north latitude and 98°35′ west longitude. The county was named after John T. Mills, a former judge born in Ireland.

Mills County Topography and Climate

Mills County is partly in the western Cross Timbers and Grand Prairie regions. It covers 734sq miles of plateaus and hills.

The county lies between 1,100 – 1,700 feet asl. There are hills where the San Saba Peak is visible, with the large white rocks and cedars around, making the area a local landmark. Pecan Bayou is southbound across the western section.

Mills County soils are black waxy, alluvial, and loam. There are shinnery, live oak, pecan, post oak, and cottonwood. Mills county experiences temperatures between 34 to 87 degrees. The annual rainfall average of 27.52 inches, and the growing season lasts 230 days.

Mills County History

Apache and Comanches fought for the region containing Mills as a hunting ground till the mid-nineteenth century. Pedro Vial, a Spanish pathfinder, passed through the area while exploring the route to Santa Fe. However, the area was not a route for Spanish explorations.

Henry S. Brown was in charge of a team that passed through the Colorado River looking for stock stolen by the Indians. Dick Jenkins, the first permanent settler, explored the area in 1852. Other settlers included W. Lee Brooks, John Williams, Sam Hanna, and R. D. Forsythe.

The first settlers, especially the Indians, survived mainly through hunting. The Indians killed Dick Jenkins and some other early pioneers. When the civil war came, many settlers decided to join the confederate army.

The white inhabitants caused more harm than the Indians during the civil war. In their times, the area became a common ground for horse thieves, army deserters, and cattle rustlers. Consequently, vigilante committees were formed to stop criminals, but they too became dangerous and committed crimes and assassinations. In 1897, rangers assisted in stopping the vigilante groups by disorienting one of them that set camp at Buzzard Roost.

The first-ever post office was situated in Williams Ranch, now Mills County making it a center for the area. In 1885, the railway tracks were built in the area, resulting in more settlements.

Mills County Office

Mills County Judge is Ed Smith. The office contacts are phone: (325) 648-2222, fax: (325) 648-2806 or email: [email protected]. The court administrator is Jackie Brooks. Mills County Attorney is Gerald Hale. His office contacts are phone: 325-648-2233 and fax: 325-648-2353 or email: [email protected].

The County Clerk is Sonya Scott. The clerk’s office contacts are phone: 325-648-2711 or

fax: 325-648-3251. The County Treasurer is Summer Campbell. The treasurer’s contact is phone: 325-648-2636, fax:325-648-3546 or email: [email protected]. The deputy treasurer is Julia Perez.

Mills County Tax Assessor-Collector is Lori King, assisted by Melisa Womack. The office is open on weekdays from 8 am to 4.45 pm. Office contacts are phone: (325) 648-3879 or fax: (325) 648-2324. Justice of the Peace is Kim Avants, assisted by Destiny Nolasco. The office contacts are phone: (325) 648-2278 or fax: (325) 648-3478.

Mills County Holidays

Mills County has around 11 to 14 holidays, depending on the year. Major holidays include Presidents Day, Martin Luther Day, Veteran’s Day, Independence Day, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Thanksgiving.

Mills County Flood Prevention Order

Mills County Flood Prevention Order ensures public safety, health, and welfare of their citizenry. The purpose of this order is to protect the life and health of citizens, minimize the damage of property located along floodplains, and ensure property/landowners are aware of flood areas before purchasing. The flood prevention order also outlines ways of reducing flood damage.

Living in Mills County

Mills County Cost of living is 81.0. The income per capita in Mills County is $24,858. The household income is $46,318. The unemployment rate in Mills County is 5.1. Recent job growth is -0.93%, and the estimated future job growth is 20.25%.

Management, Business, Financial, and Computer Math-related fields are among the top paid occupations in Mills County. Mills County is highly conservative and has been a Republican stronghold since 2000.

Housing in Mills County

The median home cost in Mills is $295,900. In the past ten years, home appreciation has been 152.5%. Mills County Real estate is at a median age of 41 years. 0.4% of houses available are for rent, and 10.6% of the population are renters.

Mills County Attractions

• Mills County Museum is a beautiful place to visit, with rooms used to display the county’s history. It has tools and clothing that were used in the early years. Some volunteers offer to take you around the museum in a couple of minutes. The Museum is also next to a welcome center that contains a botanical garden. There are no charges on the museum, but they accept donations.
• Mills County Artisan Guild is a store filled with handcrafted art pieces from local artists. The area has photographs, jewelry, wooden decor, stained glass, oil paintings, leather goods, and pottery, among other art pieces.
• Pecan is an excellent facility with a shopwhere you’ll find a selection of foodstuff. The hostesses in the area are very accommodating and offer you samples of what they offer there.
• Other attractions in the county include Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, Spirit of Texas Winery, Brennan Vineyards, Red Wing Dove and Winery, Zero Gravity Thrill Park, and The Almo.

To find out more about Mills County, visit their official Mills County Official Website.