| Winter scene
on FM 854 near Valley Mills
Photo courtesy David J. Wymer, 2005
in a Pecan Shell
Named for a mill built on the Bosque River in 1867, the town moved
one mile south in 1881 to be alongside the tracks of the Gulf, Colorado
and Santa Fe Railroad.
In 1882 the town was hit by a tornado but quickly rebuilt on the other
side of the river - which happened to be in McLennan
County. The town's railroad and it's location on the Chisholm
Trail made it a trading center for both McLennan
and Bosque Counties.
The 855 people who lived in Valley Mills mostly stayed put. The effects
of the Great Depression only reduced the population by about 50.
Post-war prosperity raised this number to just over 1,000 by the mid-1950s
and the town still keeps its retail and shipping status for both counties.
By the mid-1980s the population had reached 1,236, and is currently
given as 1,226.
in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas,
asks that anyone wishing to share their local history and vintage/historic
photos, please contact