ORIGINAL Site of Valley Mills - Valley Mills, TX
N 31° 40.546 W 097° 27.938
14R E 645445 N 3505521
A 1990 Texas Historical Marker in front of a residence at 1686 FM 1637, Valley Mills, TX, notes that this is the general area of the original townsite, which had to move south in 1881 to avoid extinction by relocating closer to the railroad.
Waymark Code: WM142A3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 03/31/2021
Views: 2
The marker provides some history of the original incarnation of Valley Mills:
A.H. Steagall and Dr. E.P. Booth purchased 300 acres of land on the north side of the Bosque River in 1868. They mapped out and platted a townsite, which they named Valley Mills.
As settlers began arriving in the area, the first homes were built of logs. Soon, however, with products provided by a local sawmill, many more homes were constructed of sawn lumber. In addition to the sawmill, flour and grist mills were also built in the valley. Cotton gins were soon built, as well, to process hundreds of bales from neighboring farms.
A United States post office was established in Valley Mills in 1867, with Moses Isenhower serving as first postmaster. Experiencing steady growth, the town at its peak boasted homes, general stores, a drugstore, blacksmith shop, boardinghouse, and stagecoach stop.
In 1881 the Santa Fe Railroad line was built through the area, but the tracks were laid on the south side of the river about one mile from the original townsite. Soon thereafter the residents of Valley Mills moved their town to be closer to the rail line. By 1900 the original site of Valley Mills had become a ghost town.
FIRST - Classification Variable: Place or Location
Date of FIRST: 01/01/1867
More Information - Web URL: [Web Link]
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