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GOLDTHWAITE,
TEXAS
Mills County Seat,
Texas Hill Country
31° 27' 2" N, 98° 34' 16" W (31.450556, -98.571111)
Highways 84, 183 and 16
FM 574 and 572
Hwy 84 & 183, 35 miles SE of Brownwood
Hwy 183, 37 miles NW of Lampasas
Hwy 84, 51 miles W of Gatesville
Hwy 16, 22 miles N of San
Saba
55 miles N of Llano
ZIP code 76844
Area code 325
Population: 1,833 est (2019)
1,878 (2010) 1,802 (2000) 1,658 (1990)
Goldthwaite, Texas Area Hotels › Brownwood
Hotels |
Question:
If Belton is the
Seat of Bell County
and Hillsboro the
Seat of Hill County,
then the Seat of Mills
County is:
a. Millopolis
b. Millsboro
c. Milton
d. Goldthwaite
Yes, it's Goldthwaite - named after Joseph G. Goldthwaite a railroad
official who sold the first town lots. |
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History in
a Pecan Shell
A timeline of significant
Goldthwaite events:
1885: The town is established in what was Brown
County on the Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway.
1886: The post office opens.
1887: Mills County
is organized. Land was donated with the understanding that Goldthwaite
would be designated the county seat.
1888: The Mills
County jail is built.
1890: Courthouse
is built. Santa Fe Railroad builds a roundhouse and shops, but moves
their division point to Brownwood
after labor problems.
1898: The population reaches 1,200, and the town has two weekly newspapers,
the Eagle and the Mountaineer.
1905: The Confederate Reunion that year was the largest public gathering
in Mills County
history.
1912: The courthouse burns
1913: The courthouse
is replaced
1915: county's first school library was established and construction
began on Lake Merritt.
1928: Goldthwaite had a population of 2,800.
1931: The population falls to 1,324 due to drought and economic hard
times. Recovery after the depression was slow, and the actual number
of business in 1988 was below the 55 reported in the 1950s. Agricultural
diversification provided a solid economic base and wool, mohair, cattle,
sheep, and pecans, are mainstays of the economy. |
Goldthwaite,
Texas
Landmarks/Attractions
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| Vintage
photo courtesy TXDoT |
The First Baptist
Church, built in 1949.
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
"Looking
north up Fisher Street from the courthouse.
Fisher Street (HWY 16/183) is the main street in Goldthwaite."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 photo |
"Business
Section North Side of Square, Goldwaite, Texas"
Postcard courtesy www.rootsweb.com/ %7Etxpstcrd/ |
Buildings
on North Side of Square - Today
Photo courtesy Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 |
"I've been
to Goldthwaite four times now and this always made me laugh. The building
is across from the courthouse."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 2010 photo |
Historical Marker
"on Fisher St (183/16) in front of the First Baptist Church"
- Terry
Jeanson photo |
Photographer's
Note:
Subject: Mills
County Courthouse
"It seems funny that this central Texas county was organized
after some of the Panhandle
counties. One of my favorite articles on TE is "Sagging
Symbols" by Dwight Young. Mr. Young makes a reference to some
of the Texas
courthouses being "the architectural paperweight that kept the
town from blowing away." I think that is certainly true in Goldthwaite."
- Terry
Jeanson, October 12, 2010 |
Mills
County 1920s map showing Goldthwaite
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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