Wills Point is a city in

Van Zandt County Van Zandt County is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Texas, in the northeastern part of the state. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 59,541. Its county seat is Canton, Texas, Cant ...

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

, 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 arrived in the area ''circa'' 1848. He purchased a cabin from Adam Sullivan in 1852. 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 George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician and businessman who was the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Bush family and the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he i ...

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. 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, the first commercially operated monorail system in the United States. GFA World, a Christian missionary organization, is located seven miles outside the city.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of 3.6 square miles (9.3 km), 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 The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

system, Wills Point has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...

, ''Cfa'' on climate maps.

Demographics

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 ISD. It is administered by Superintendent Scott Caloss. As of 2006, there are five schools: Wills Point Primary School (pre-K through 1st grade), 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

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

Transportation

Major highways

U.S. Highway 80 * Texas 64

State Highway 64

Airports

The city owns Van Zandt County Regional Airport, which was known as Wills Point Municipal Airport prior to the 2007 approval of a major airport improvement project.

Local churches

* Calvary Baptist Church * The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints * First Baptist Church * First Christian Church * Followers of Christ Church * Iglesia Bautista Emanuel * New Release Fellowship Baptist Church * Pleasant Hill Baptist Church * Radiant Church Wills Point * Risen Life Fellowship * Round Em Up Cowboy Church * Russell Memorial Methodist Church * St Luke Catholic Church * St Mark CME Church * St Mary Church of God In Christ * St. Peters Believers Eastern Church of Wills Point * Stonepoint Church - Iglesia Stonepoint - Wills Point * Trinity Baptist Church * Truebelievers Baptist Church * Wills Point Church of Christ * Wills Point International Outreach Churchhttp://www.wpioc.org/

References

External links

City of Wills Point Texas

WillsPoint.com

Official website of KWJB, the only broadcasting station in Van Zandt County

''Wills Point Chronicle''

Wills Point ISD
{{authority control Constantine B. Kilgore Cities in Van Zandt County, Texas Cities in Texas Populated places established in 1873