Editing Valley Mills, Texas

{{short description|City in Bosque and McLennan counties in Texas, United States}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2023}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2023}}

{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Valley Mills, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
<!-- Images -->
| image_skyline      = Valley Mills Texas nosig (1 of 1).jpg
| imagesize          = 
| image_caption      = [[Texas State Highway 6]] in Downtown Valley Mills,<br>April 2020
| image_flag         = 
| image_seal         = 
<!-- Maps -->
| image_map          = TXMap-doton-ValleyMills.PNG
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Valley Mills, Texas
| image_map1         = Bosque County ValleyMills.svg
| mapsize1           = 250px
| map_caption1       = 
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type   = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name   = United States
| subdivision_type1  = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_name1  = [[Texas]]
| subdivision_type2  = [[List of counties in Texas|Counties]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Bosque County, Texas|Bosque]], [[McLennan County, Texas|McLennan]]
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes = 
| government_type    = 
| leader_title       = 
| leader_name        = 
| established_title  = 
| established_date   = 
<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref          = Imperial
| area_footnotes     = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_48.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 7, 2020}}</ref>
| area_total_km2     = 1.97
| area_land_km2      = 1.96
| area_water_km2     = 0.00
| area_total_sq_mi   = 0.76
| area_land_sq_mi    = 0.76
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.00
<!-- Population -->
| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 1229
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
<!-- General information -->
| timezone           = [[North American Central Time Zone|Central (CST)]]
| utc_offset         = -6
| timezone_DST       = CDT
| utc_offset_DST     = -5
| elevation_footnotes = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft       = 597
| coordinates        = {{coord|31|38|27|N|97|26|31|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 76689
| area_code          = [[Area code 254|254]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-74732<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2412143<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412143}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|www.vmtx.us}}
| footnotes          = 
}}

'''Valley Mills''' is a city in [[Bosque County, Texas|Bosque]] and [[McLennan County, Texas|McLennan]] counties in central [[Texas]], United States. The population was 1,229 at the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]].

The McLennan County portion of Valley Mills is part of the [[Waco, Texas|Waco]] [[Waco metropolitan area|Metropolitan Statistical Area]].

==History==
{{unsourced|section|date=August 2024}}
Valley Mills was named for a [[flour mill]] established on the banks of the [[Bosque River]] in 1867 by Dr. [[E.P. Booth]] and [[Asbury Stegall]].

In 1881, the [[Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Railway]] (GC&SF) laid tracks a mile south of the community, across the Bosque River. Merchants, hoping to benefit from the railroad, began moving their stores across the river, to the tracks.

On February 17, 1882, a cyclone ([[tornado]]) hit the new townsite, destroying a large number of buildings. Nevertheless, the remaining residents from the community's original site moved across the river and rebuilt their homes. Thus, by the end of 1882 Valley Mills had extended into McLennan County.

Dairy farming and stock raising were the principal industries of the community. By 1900, however, the railroad and the nearby [[Chisholm Trail]] had made Valley Mills a prosperous retail and trading center for Bosque and McLennan counties. The community's population reached 855 by 1905. Like many rural Texas communities, Valley Mills declined during the 1930s. Following World War II, however, as farm prices increased and ranching prospered, the economy grew, and the population, which had declined to 803 by 1937, increased to 1,037 by the mid-1950s. During the next three decades Valley Mills maintained its position as a leading retail market and shipping point for Bosque and McLennan counties.

{{stack|{{Wikisource|NCDC Storm Data for the 1973 Valley Mills tornado|NOAA finalized damage survey and analysis for the F-5 tornado}}}}

The town was hit by an F-5 tornado on May 6, 1973, nearly 20 years after the infamous 1953 Waco Tornado, and despite its F-5 rating, there were no deaths in the Valley Mills tornado.

In 1984, it had a newspaper, a municipal airport, more than 25 businesses, several dairy farms and ranches, and a population of 1,236. A new school was opened in 1988; it and four churches were the social centers of the community. In 1990, the population was 1,085. In 2010, the population was 1,203.

==Geography==

===Climate===
The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the [[Köppen Climate Classification]] system, Valley Mills has a [[humid subtropical climate]], abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.<ref>[http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=282914&cityname=Valley+Mills%2C+Texas%2C+United+States+of+America&units= Climate Summary for Valley Mills, Texas]</ref>

==Demographics==
{{stack|{{US Census population
| 1880 = 113
| 1890 = 300
| 1900 = 519
| 1910 = 708
| 1920 = 855
| 1930 = 936
| 1940 = 803
| 1950 = 1037
| 1960 = 1061
| 1970 = 1022
| 1980 = 1236
| 1990 = 1085
| 2000 = 1123
| 2010 = 1203
| 2020 = 1229
| footnote = U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}}}

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Valley Mills racial composition'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4874732&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=May 21, 2022 |website=data.census.gov}}</ref><br> (NH = Non-Hispanic){{efn|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.<ref>https://www.census.gov/ {{nonspecific|date=August 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=About the Hispanic Population and its Origin |url=https://www.census.gov/topics/population/hispanic-origin/about.html |website=www.census.gov |access-date=May 18, 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|878
|71.44%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|31
|2.52%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|3
|0.24%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|2
|0.16%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|1
|0.08%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|80
|6.51%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|234
|19.04%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''1,229'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 1,229 people, 468 households, and 371 families residing in the city.

===2000 census===
As of the [[census]]<ref name="GR2" /> of 2000, there were 1,123 people, 430 households, and 301 families residing in the city. The population density was {{convert|1,601.2|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 487 housing units at an average density of {{convert|694.4|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the city was 86.73% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 4.99% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.36% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.27% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 5.97% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 1.69% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 8.73% of the population.

There were 430 households, out of which 33.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.8% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.0% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 6.5% from 18 to 24, 25.1% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 20.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 76.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $32,115, and the median income for a family was $39,659. Males had a median income of $35,000 versus $18,125 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the city was $15,062. About 6.7% of families and 9.3% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 7.7% of those under age 18 and 17.7% of those age 65 or over.

==Education==
[[Image:valleymillselementaryschool.jpg|thumb|right|Valley Mills Elementary School]]

Valley Mills is served by the [[Valley Mills Independent School District]] and home to [[Valley Mills High School]].

==Transportation==
===Highways===
* [[File:Texas 6.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 6]] is also designated as Avenue C. Although it is a north-south highway, it passes through downtown in a west-northwest to east-southeast direction. To the south, it leads to [[Waco]]. To the north, it leads to [[Clifton, Texas|Clifton]].
* [[File:Texas 317.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 317]] is also designated as S 7th Street and terminates at Highway 6. To the south, it leads to [[Crawford, Texas|Crawford]].
===Rail===
Valley Mills is located on a [[BNSF Railway]] line connecting [[Temple, Texas|Temple]] to [[Cleburne, Texas|Cleburne]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bnsf.com/bnsf-resources/pdf/ship-with-bnsf/maps-and-shipping-locations/bnsf-network-map.pdf |title=bnsf-network-map.pdf |access-date=November 18, 2024 |date=January 2024}}</ref> As of 2024, the rail line is used by the ''[[Texas Eagle]]'', an [[Amtrak]] passenger train connecting Chicago to San Antonio via Dallas and Cleburne, but the train does not serve Valley Mills; the nearest scheduled stop is [[McGregor station]] in [[McGregor, Texas|McGregor]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Texas Eagle Amtrak coach and sleeper train serving 43 cities in 7 states |url=http://www.texaseagle.com/ |access-date=November 19, 2024}}</ref>

===Air===
Valley Mills Municipal Airport {{airport codes|||9F1}} is a city-owned public [[airport]] used for [[general aviation]] and located approximately {{convert|3|nmi|km}} southeast of the [[central business district]].<ref name="FAA">{{FAA-airport|ID=9F1|use=PU|own=PU|site=site=23925.*H}}. Federal Aviation Administration, Effective 3 October 2024.</ref><ref name=txdot>{{cite web | url=https://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot-info/avn/airport_directory/9f1.pdf | title = Texas Airport Directory - Valley Mills, Valley Mills Municipal (9F1) | publisher = [[Texas Department of Transportation]] | accessdate = 15 May 2018}}</ref> The airport has no [[International Air Transport Association|IATA]] or [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]] designation.<ref name=gcm>{{cite web | url = http://www.gcmap.com/airport/9f1 | title = 9F1 Valley Mills [Muni], TX, US - Airport | publisher = Great Circle Mapper | accessdate = 15 May 2018}}</ref> 

The airport covers {{convert|90|acre|ha}} at an elevation of {{convert|751|ft|m}} above [[mean sea level]] (AMSL), and has two [[runways]]:
* Runway 6/24: 3,028 x 40 ft. (922 x 12 m), Surface: [[Sod|Turf]]
* Runway 14/32: 2,788 x 40 ft. (850 x 12 m), Surface: Turf<ref name="FAA" />

For the 12-month period ending 3 October 2024, no aircraft operations were reported. At that time there were no aircraft based at the airport.<ref name="FAA" />

==Notable people==
* [[Matthew Barnes]], professional off-road driver and [[Rocket League]] player
* [[Isaac Brock (supercentenarian)|Isaac Brock]] (died 1909), once claimed to be the longest-lived American in history
* [[Donnie Sadler]], [[Major League Baseball]] player

==See also==
{{stack|{{portal|Texas}}}}
* [[List of municipalities in Texas]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Valley Mills, Texas}}


{{Bosque County, Texas}}
{{McLennan County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}


[[Category:Cities in Bosque County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in McLennan County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]