Mineral Wells is a city in
Palo Pinto and
Parker Parker may refer to:
Persons
* Parker (given name)
* Parker (surname)
Places Place names in the United States
*Parker, Arizona
*Parker, Colorado
* Parker, Florida
* Parker, Idaho
* Parker, Kansas
* Parker, Missouri
* Parker, North Carolina
*Park ...
Counties in the
U.S. state
In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its sover ...
of
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
. The population was 16,788 at the 2010 census (14,644 in Palo Pinto and 2144 in Parker). The city is named for mineral wells in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s.
History
In 1919, Mineral Wells hosted the spring training camp for the
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The White Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. The team is owned by Jerry Reinsdorf, and p ...
, the year of the famous
"Black Sox" scandal involving
"Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Mineral Wells also hosted spring training for the
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are an American professional baseball team based in Cincinnati. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League Central, Central division and were a charter member of ...
and
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) Central division. Since the 2006 season, the Cardinals ha ...
in the 1910s and early 1920s. The baseball field was located in the center of town.
In 1952, Mineral Wells was the host of the
Republican
Republican can refer to:
Political ideology
* An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law.
** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...
state convention in which delegates divided between presidential candidates
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...
and Senator
Robert A. Taft
Robert Alphonso Taft Sr. (September 8, 1889 – July 31, 1953) was an American politician, lawyer, and scion of the Republican Party's Taft family. Taft represented Ohio in the United States Senate, briefly served as Senate Majority Leade ...
. Though state chairman Orville Bullington of
Wichita Falls
Wichita Falls ( ) is a city in and the seat of government of Wichita County, Texas, United States. It is the principal city of the Wichita Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Archer, Clay, and Wichita counties. Accordin ...
led the Taft forces, the convention vote ultimately went 33–5 in favor of Eisenhower.
Military History
Mineral Wells military history dates back to 1916 with the organization of Company 1, 4th Texas Infantry. By January 1925, the War Department approved the site that would become
Camp Wolters
Fort Wolters was a United States military installation four miles northeast of Mineral Wells, Texas. Originally named Camp Wolters, it was an Army camp from 1925 to 1946. During World War II, it was for a time the largest infantry replacement trai ...
, the training ground for the 56th Cavalry Brigade of the Texas National Guard.
In 1956, the base began operations as the Primary Helicopter Center of the United States Army that would provide basic training and primary flight training for all rotary-wing aviators. The Vietnam War created an increased need for pilots. To meet the demand, Fort Wolters increased operations to become the training site for helicopter pilots for the Marine Corp in 1968 and the Air Force in 1970. Nearly every helicopter pilot that flew in Vietnam was trained at Fort Wolters.
Fort Wolters was deactivated in 1973. The 8,500 acres was then parsed out to the city of Mineral Wells, private businessmen, Weatherford College, and Lake Mineral Wells State Park.
State Park
Mineral Wells is very well known for the state park which features fishing, camping, horse riding, biking, hiking trails and rock climbing. One attraction is Penitentiary Hollow, a popular rock climbing area.
Film
Prison Break Season 2 episode 8 "Dead Fall" set in "Arizona" is actually various locations in and around Mineral Wells. In an opening aerial shot showing downtown Hwy 281 Northbound, Crazy Water banners can be seen on the light poles.
Geography
Mineral Wells is located at (32.808594, –98.101859).
Mineral Wells lies east of the
Brazos River
The Brazos River ( , ), called the ''Río de los Brazos de Dios'' (translated as "The River of the Arms of God") by early Spanish explorers, is the 11th-longest river in the United States at from its headwater source at the head of Blackwater Dr ...
and
Palo Pinto Mountains
The term Palo Pinto Mountains properly refers to a specific cuesta-like range of hills in western Palo Pinto County, Texas. The name ''Palo Pinto'' roughly translates to "painted stick" in reference to the juniper trees of the area. Isolated, ...
.
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of 21.2 square miles (54.9 km), of which 20.5 square miles (53.0 km) of it are land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km) of it (3.45%) is covered by water.
Mineral Wells is west of
Fort Worth
Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the U.S. state of Texas and the 13th-largest city in the United States. It is the county seat of Tarrant County, covering nearly into four other counties: Denton, Johnson, Parker, and Wise. According ...
and east of
Abilene.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the
2020 United States census
The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...
, there were 14,820 people, 4,958 households, and 3,329 families residing in the city.
2000 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2000, 16,946 people, 5,707 households, and 3,857 were families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was 828.6 people per square mile (319.9/km). The 6,386 housing units averaged 312.2 per square mile (120.6/km). The
racial makeup
A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...
of the city was 77.69% White, 8.77% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 10.51% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 19.27% of the population.
Of the 5,707 households, 31.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.5% were married couples living together, 13.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.4% were not families. About 28.3% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.56, and the average family size was 3.13.
In the city, the age distribution was 24.1% under 18, 10.1% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.2% from 45 to 64, and 14.6% who were 65 or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 120.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 123.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $27,233, and for a family was $33,765. Males had a median income of $29,074 versus $18,633 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $13,336. About 16.6% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
describes the weather as
humid subtropical
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
, and uses the code ''Cfa''.
Government
![Historic Post Office in Mineral Wells, Texas](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/78/Historic_Post_Office_in_Mineral_Wells%2C_Texas.JPG)
The
Texas Department of Criminal Justice
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) is a department of the government of the U.S. state of Texas. The TDCJ is responsible for statewide criminal justice for adult offenders, including managing offenders in state prisons, state jails, ...
(TDCJ) operates the Mineral Wells District Parole Office in Mineral Wells. The
Corrections Corporation of America
CoreCivic, formerly the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA), is a company that owns and manages private prisons and detention centers and operates others on a concession basis. Co-founded in 1983 in Nashville, Tennessee by Thomas W. Beasle ...
(CCA) operated the Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility in the Fort Wolters Industrial Park on behalf of the TDCJ. It closed in August 2013. The correctional facility, which had been operated by CCA since 1995, is located on the property of the former
Fort Wolters
Fort Wolters was a United States military installation four miles northeast of Mineral Wells, Texas. Originally named Camp Wolters, it was an Army camp from 1925 to 1946. During World War II, it was for a time the largest infantry replacement tr ...
in
Palo Pinto County and in Mineral Wells. It can house up to 2,100 prisoners. As of March 2013, its annual payroll was $11.7 million, and it was among the largest employers in Mineral Wells, with about 300 employees. On Monday March 4, 2013, the
Texas Senate
The Texas Senate ( es, Senado de Texas) is the upper house of the Texas State Legislature. There are 31 members of the Senate, representing single-member districts across the U.S. state of Texas, with populations of approximately 806,000 per cons ...
Senate Finance Committee voted 11-4 to close the correctional facility.
[Montgomery, Dave.]
Lawmakers look to close private prison in Mineral Wells
" ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram
The ''Fort Worth Star-Telegram'' is an American daily newspaper serving Fort Worth and Tarrant County, the western half of the North Texas area known as the Metroplex. It is owned by The McClatchy Company.
History
In May 1905, Amon G. Carter acc ...
''. Tuesday March 5, 2013. Retrieved on March 22, 2013. Mike Allen, the mayor of Mineral Wells, criticized the closure, saying, "We'll lose right at over 300 jobs, and 300 jobs in a community of 17,000 ... is devastating. This means a lot to this community."
[ ]John Whitmire
John Harris Whitmire (born August 13, 1949) is an American Lawyer, attorney and politician who is the longest-serving current member of the Texas Legislature, Texas State Senate. Since 1983, he has represented Texas Senate, District 15, Distri ...
, the head of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee, said, "We're sitting on about 12,000 empty rison Rison may refer to:
People
*Andre Rison (born 1967), American football player
* Mose Rison (born 1956), American football coach
* Vera B. Rison (1939–2015), politician
Places
*Rison, Arkansas
**Rison High School
Rison High School (RHS) is a ...
beds, so it just makes good business sense ... that we not operate it, and we take those savings and plow them back into additional public-safety programs."[
The ]United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...
operates the Mineral Wells Post Office. Zip codes are 76067 and 76068.
Education
Mineral Wells is served by the Mineral Wells Independent School District, and by the Community Christian School.[https://ccsmw.org]
Weatherford College
Weatherford College (WC; officially Weatherford College of the Parker County Junior College District) is a public community college in Weatherford, Texas, with branch campuses in nearby Wise County, and Granbury.
Organization and administrati ...
operates a branch campus on the old Fort Wolters facility.
Notable people
* Barbara H. Bowman
Barbara Hyde Bowman (August 5, 1930May 15, 1996) was an American biologist, geneticist, and educator who was known for her research in human blood proteins. Her work characterized variants of globins, the family of proteins responsible for trans ...
, geneticist
* Adrian Colbert
Adrian Colbert (born October 6, 1993) is an American football Safety (gridiron football position), safety for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He last played for the Tennessee Titans of the National Football League (NFL). ...
, NFL football player for the Miami Dolphins
* Alvin Garrett
Alvin Lynn Garrett (born October 1, 1956) is a former American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the New York Giants and the Washington Redskins.
College career
Before his NFL career, he played college football a ...
, NFL football player and Super Bowl champion
* Dan Herbeck
Dan Herbeck (born October 31, 1954) is an American journalist and author who is an investigative reporter at ''The Buffalo News''.
Biography
Herbeck was born in Mineral Wells, Texas, and raised in Amherst, New York. Herbeck graduated high schoo ...
, journalist for ''The Buffalo News''; co-author of ''American Terrorist'', best-seller biography of Oklahoma City bomber Timothy McVeigh
* Millie Hughes-Fulford
Millie Elizabeth Hughes-Fulford ( Hughes; December 21, 1945 – February 2, 2021) was an American medical investigator, molecular biologist, and NASA payload specialist who flew aboard the NASA Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' in June 1991.
Early ...
, American medical investigator, molecular biologist and former NASA astronaut who flew aboard a NASA Space Shuttle mission as a Payload Specialist
* Shane McAnally
Shane McAnally (born October 12, 1974) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and record producer. Originally a solo artist for Curb Records in 1999, McAnally charted three singles on Hot Country Songs, including the No. 31 " Are Y ...
, singer-songwriter and record producer
* Alvy Ray Smith (born 8 September 1943), noted pioneer in computer graphics and the cofounder of Pixar
Pixar Animation Studios (commonly known as Pixar () and stylized as P I X A R) is an American computer animation studio known for its critically and commercially successful computer animated feature films. It is based in Emeryville, Californi ...
* Amanda Shires, singer songwriter
* James Vick
James William Vick (born February 23, 1987) is a retired American mixed martial artist and boxer who formerly competed in the welterweight and lightweight divisions of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Vick was a cast member of '' The U ...
, UFC lightweight
Gallery
File:Mineral Wells, TX, sign Picture_2222.jpg, Entrance sign
File:Former Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells, TX Picture_2224.jpg, Baker Hotel
File:Famous Mineral Water Co., Mineral Wells, TX Picture_2226.jpg, Site of historic Famous Mineral Water Company
File:Crazy Water Retirement Hotel in Mineral Wells, TX Picture_2225.jpg, Crazy Water Retirement Hotel
References
External links
City of Mineral Wells
Mineral Wells Chamber of Commerce
Historic Mineral Wells materials
Mineral Wells City Directories, 1909 and 1920
''A Pictorial History of Fort Wolters''
Historic Mineral Wells postcards and photographs
Mineral Wells Guide
Mineral Wells Fossil Park, Palo Pinto County, Texas.
{{Authority control
Cities in Palo Pinto County, Texas
Cities in Parker County, Texas
Cities in Texas
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
Micropolitan areas of Texas