Editing Wills Point, Texas

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name      = Wills Point, Texas
| settlement_type    = [[City]]
| nickname           = The Bluebird Capital of Texas
| image_skyline      = 
| imagesize          = 250px
| image_caption      = Wills Point Logo
| image_map          = TX Van Zandt County Wills Point.svg
| mapsize            = 250px
| map_caption        = Location of Wills Point, Texas
| image_map1         = 
| mapsize1           = 
| map_caption1       = Map of Wills Point TX
<!-- 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|County]]
| subdivision_name2  = [[Van Zandt County, Texas|Van Zandt]]
<!-- 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     = 9.53
| area_land_km2      = 9.49
| area_water_km2     = 0.04
| area_total_sq_mi   = 3.68
| area_land_sq_mi    = 3.67
| area_water_sq_mi   = 0.02
<!-- Population -->| population_as_of   = [[2020 United States Census|2020]]
| population_footnotes = 
| population_total   = 3747
| population_density_sq_mi = auto
| population_density_km2 = 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       = 532
| coordinates        = {{coord|32|42|21|N|95|59|12|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
| postal_code_type   = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code        = 75169
| area_code          = [[Area code 903|903]]
| blank_name         = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info         = 48-79564<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=2008-01-31|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
| blank1_name        = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info        = 2412273<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|2412273}}</ref>
| website            = {{URL|https://willspointtx.org/}}
| footnotes          = 
| name               = 
}}

'''Wills Point''' is a city in [[Van Zandt County, Texas|Van Zandt County]], [[Texas]], United States. The population was 3,747 at the 2020 census.

==History==
Founded in 1873, Wills Point derives its name from an early American settler, William Wills, who had arrived in the area ''circa'' 1848.<ref>"Wills Point Chronicle."  Obituary. 1924 June.</ref> Wills eventually purchased a cabin from Adam Sullivan in 1852.{{citation needed|date=April 2020}} The name 'point' may also derive from the shape of the original timberline near the cabin, though there have been unsubstantiated arguments that the name relates to the area's elevation. The layout of the city was the work of engineer General Grenville M. Dodge of the California Construction Company. The downtown streets were laid with red bricks upon packed sand in the 1920s by locals and remain in use. Downtown Wills Point has many of its original buildings that are over one hundred years old including the Wills cabin, a drug store, a dry good store, and a law office. Governor [[George W. Bush]] officially named Wills Point the Bluebird Capital of Texas in 1995.

The Majestic Movie theater was opened in 1926 by Karl C. LyBrand and was still family operated by Karl C. Lybrand III until its closure on October 4, 2010. It had been the oldest continuously operated movie theater in Texas run by a single family.
<!-- Deleted image removed: [[Image:Wills point majestic theatre.JPG|thumb|left|180px|The Majestic Theatre in downtown Wills Point]]  -->The Bruce & Human Drug Company, located on the corner of 4th Street and James, was built in 1879 and is the oldest family owned drug store in Texas.

Wills Point is also the final resting place for [[Trailblazer (monorail)|Trailblazer]], the first commercially operated monorail system in the United States.

[[Gospel for Asia|GFA World]], a Christian missionary organization, is located seven miles outside the city.

== Local Churches ==

* St. Peters Believers Eastern Church of Wills Point - https://www.becna.org/
* First Baptist Church - https://www.fbwp.org/
* Wills Point Church of Christ - http://www.wpcoc.us/
* Wills Point International Outreach Church - http://www.wpioc.org/
* Calvary Baptist Church - *''Website to be added*''
* First Christian Church - *''Website to be added*''
* Risen Life Fellowship - http://agwillspoint.org/
* Radiant Church Wills Point - https://www.radiantchurchvz.com/
* Trinity Baptist Church - http://www.tbcwillspoint.com/
* Stonepoint Church - Iglesia Stonepoint - Wills Point - http://www.stonepointchurch.com/
* Pleasant Hill Baptist Church - *''Website to be added*''
* New Release Fellowship Baptist Church - *''Website to be added*''
* Russell Memorial Methodist Church - http://www.rmmcwp.net/
* Round Em Up Cowboy Church - http://www.roundemupcowboychurch.com/
* The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/
* St Luke Catholic Church - *''Website to be added*''
* St Mark CME Church - http://www.stmarkcme.org/
* Truebelievers Baptist Church - *''Website to be added*''
* St Mary Church of God In Christ - *''Website to be added*''
* Followers of Christ Church - *''Website to be added*''
* Iglesia Bautista Emanuel - *''Website to be added*''

==Geography==

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of 3.6&nbsp;square miles (9.3&nbsp;km{{sup|2}}), all land.

===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, Wills Point has a [[humid subtropical climate]], ''Cfa'' on climate maps.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.weatherbase.com/weather/weather-summary.php3?s=8914&cityname=Wills%20Point,%20Texas,%20United%20States%20of%20America&units=|title=Wills Point, Texas Köppen Climate Classification (Weatherbase)|access-date=24 August 2016}}</ref>

{{Weather box
 | width       = auto
 | collapsed   = yes
 | single line = yes
 | location    = Wills Point, Texas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1905–1923, 1939–present)
 | Jan record high F  = 88
 | Feb record high F  = 97
 | Mar record high F  = 94
 | Apr record high F  = 98
 | May record high F  = 100
 | Jun record high F  = 109
 | Jul record high F  = 113
 | Aug record high F  = 115
 | Sep record high F  = 110
 | Oct record high F  = 102
 | Nov record high F  = 91
 | Dec record high F  = 85
 | year record high F = 

|Jan avg record high F = 74.0
|Feb avg record high F = 77.7
|Mar avg record high F = 82.1
|Apr avg record high F = 85.6
|May avg record high F = 90.9
|Jun avg record high F = 95.3
|Jul avg record high F = 100.6
|Aug avg record high F = 102.1
|Sep avg record high F = 97.5
|Oct avg record high F = 90.6
|Nov avg record high F = 81.3
|Dec avg record high F = 75.6
|year avg record high F = 103.1

 | Jan high F = 55.5
 | Feb high F = 59.9
 | Mar high F = 67.2
 | Apr high F = 75.0
 | May high F = 82.6
 | Jun high F = 90.0
 | Jul high F = 94.4
 | Aug high F = 95.3
 | Sep high F = 88.8
 | Oct high F = 78.3
 | Nov high F = 66.2
 | Dec high F = 57.7
 | year high F = 75.9
 | Jan mean F = 45.1
 | Feb mean F = 49.1
 | Mar mean F = 56.3
 | Apr mean F = 63.9
 | May mean F = 72.5
 | Jun mean F = 80.2
 | Jul mean F = 83.9
 | Aug mean F = 84.2
 | Sep mean F = 77.7
 | Oct mean F = 66.9
 | Nov mean F = 55.5
 | Dec mean F = 47.4
 | year mean F = 65.2
 | Jan low F = 34.8
 | Feb low F = 38.3
 | Mar low F = 45.4
 | Apr low F = 52.8
 | May low F = 62.5
 | Jun low F = 70.4
 | Jul low F = 73.4
 | Aug low F = 73.0
 | Sep low F = 66.5
 | Oct low F = 55.4
 | Nov low F = 44.8
 | Dec low F = 37.1
 | year low F = 54.5

|Jan avg record low F = 20.0
|Feb avg record low F = 23.9
|Mar avg record low F = 28.5
|Apr avg record low F = 37.8
|May avg record low F = 47.6
|Jun avg record low F = 61.3
|Jul avg record low F = 67.3
|Aug avg record low F = 66.3
|Sep avg record low F = 53.4
|Oct avg record low F = 39.5
|Nov avg record low F = 28.6
|Dec avg record low F = 23.1
|year avg record low F = 17.0

 | Jan record low F  = -1
 | Feb record low F  = -3
 | Mar record low F  = 10
 | Apr record low F  = 22
 | May record low F  = 36
 | Jun record low F  = 49
 | Jul record low F  = 58
 | Aug record low F  = 55
 | Sep record low F  = 38
 | Oct record low F  = 22
 | Nov record low F  = 13
 | Dec record low F  = -2
 | year record low F = 
 | precipitation colour   = green
 | Jan precipitation inch = 3.40
 | Feb precipitation inch = 3.59
 | Mar precipitation inch = 4.24
 | Apr precipitation inch = 3.67
 | May precipitation inch = 4.85
 | Jun precipitation inch = 3.88
 | Jul precipitation inch = 2.25
 | Aug precipitation inch = 2.64
 | Sep precipitation inch = 3.29
 | Oct precipitation inch = 4.79
 | Nov precipitation inch = 3.94
 | Dec precipitation inch = 4.09
 | year precipitation inch = 44.63
 | unit precipitation days = 0.01 in
 | Jan precipitation days  = 9.6
 | Feb precipitation days  = 9.4
 | Mar precipitation days  = 10.1
 | Apr precipitation days  = 8.7
 | May precipitation days  = 9.7
 | Jun precipitation days  = 7.8
 | Jul precipitation days  = 5.9
 | Aug precipitation days  = 6.0
 | Sep precipitation days  = 6.8
 | Oct precipitation days  = 7.6
 | Nov precipitation days  = 8.3
 | Dec precipitation days  = 9.3
 | year precipitation days = 99.2
 | source = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration|NOAA]]<ref name="NOWData">{{cite web
|url = https://www.weather.gov/wrh/Climate?wfo=fwd
|title = NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 11, 2023}}</ref><ref name="NCEI">{{cite web
|url = https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/access/services/data/v1?dataset=normals-monthly-1991-2020&stations=USC00419800&format=pdf&dataTypes=MLY-TMAX-NORMAL,MLY-TMIN-NORMAL,MLY-TAVG-NORMAL,MLY-PRCP-NORMAL,MLY-SNOW-NORMAL
|title = Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020
|publisher = National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
|access-date = November 11, 2023}}</ref>
}}

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
| 1880 = 860
| 1890 = 1025
| 1900 = 1347
| 1910 = 1398
| 1920 = 1811
| 1930 = 2023
| 1940 = 1976
| 1950 = 2030
| 1960 = 2281
| 1970 = 2636
| 1980 = 2631
| 1990 = 2986
| 2000 = 3496
| 2010 = 3524
| 2020 = 3747
| 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>
}}

{| class="wikitable"
|+'''Wills Point racial composition as of 2020'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Explore Census Data |url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=1600000US4879564&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 |access-date=2022-05-22 |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=18 May 2022}}</ref>}}
!Race
!Number
!Percentage
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino whites|White]] (NH)
|2,578
|68.8%
|-
|[[Non-Hispanic or Latino African Americans|Black or African American]] (NH)
|409
|10.92%
|-
|[[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] or [[Alaska Native]] (NH)
|14
|0.37%
|-
|[[Asian Americans|Asian]] (NH)
|10
|0.27%
|-
|[[Pacific Islander Americans|Pacific Islander]] (NH)
|3
|0.08%
|-
|Some Other Race (NH)
|11
|0.29%
|-
|[[Multiracial Americans|Mixed/Multi-Racial]] (NH)
|150
|4.0%
|-
|[[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]
|572
|15.27%
|-
|'''Total'''
|'''3,747'''
|
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 3,747 people, 1,350 households, and 945 families residing in the city.

== Education ==

Wills Point and the surrounding unincorporated areas are served by the [[Wills Point Independent School District|Wills Point ISD]]. It is administered by Superintendent Scott Caloss. As of 2006, there are five schools: [[Wills Point Primary School]] (Pre-K through 1st grades), [[E.O. Woods Intermediate School]] (2nd–4th), [[Wills Point Middle School]] (5th–6th), [[Wills Point Jr. High]] (7th–8th), and [[Wills Point High School]] (9th–12th). The Wills Point High School Tigers football team won the 1A State Championship in 1965.

==Photo gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="170">
File:Wills Point Texas 4 (1 of 1).jpg|Downtown Wills Point
File:Wills Point Texas 5 (1 of 1).jpg|Downtown Wills Point
File:Rose Dry Goods Wills Point (1 of 1).jpg|Rose Dry Goods
</gallery>

== Transportation ==

=== Major highways ===
*[[File:US 80.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 80 in Texas|U.S. Highway 80]]
*[[File:Texas 64.svg|20px]] [[Texas State Highway 64|State Highway 64]]

=== Airports ===
The city owns<ref>{{FAA-airport|ID=F46|use=PU|own=PU|site=site=23925.*H}}. Federal Aviation Administration, Effective 26 April 2018.</ref> [[Van Zandt County Regional Airport]], which was known as Wills Point Municipal Airport prior to the 2007 approval of a major airport improvement project.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://willspointtx.org/van-zandt-county-regional-airport-2/ | title = Van Zandt County Regional Airport | publisher = City of Wills Point | access-date = 15 May 2018}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{notelist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Wills Point, Texas}}
* [http://cityofwillspoint.com/ City of Wills Point Texas]
* [http://www.willspoint.com/ WillsPoint.com]
* [http://www.KWJB.com/ KWJB RADIO the official website of the only broadcasting station in Van Zandt County]
* [http://www.vanzandtnewspapers.com/ Wills Point Chronicle]
* [http://willspointisd.tx.schoolwebpages.com/education/district/district.php?sectionid=1 Wills Point ISD]

{{Van Zandt County, Texas}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Constantine B. Kilgore]]
[[Category:Cities in Van Zandt County, Texas]]
[[Category:Cities in Texas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]