Mormon Mill, Burnet County, Texas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Mormon Mill, Texas
Mormon Mill, Burnet County, Texas Location in Texas
Country	United States
State	Texas
County	Burnet
Elevation	814 ft (248 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code(s)	512
FIPS code	48
GNIS feature ID	1363151

Mormon Mill was a small community that no longer exists today. It was started in 1851 by a group of Mormon settlers. This settlement was located on Hamilton Creek in Burnet County, Texas. You can find the site about 5 miles (8 km) north of Marble Falls. It is also about 10 miles (16 km) south of Burnet.

Mormon Mill was also known by other names. These included Mormon Mills and Mormon Mill Colony. In 1936, it was recognized as a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. This means it's an important historical place in Texas. The people living there moved away in 1853. Because of this, no buildings from the original colony remain today.

A Pioneer Settlement

In 1851, a group led by Lyman Wight moved from a place called Zodiac. They chose Hamilton Creek to build their new community. Just like in their previous home, the settlers built many useful things.

What They Built

The colonists set up several mills. These mills helped them make flour and grind grain. They also had mills for cutting lumber and processing cotton. Besides mills, they built factories to make furniture. One of their biggest achievements was a three-story mill. This mill had a large water wheel, about 26 feet (8 meters) tall. It was powered by a wooden dam they built on the creek.

How They Lived

The settlers were very good at taking care of themselves. They grew their own food through farming. They also had skilled workers like blacksmiths. These blacksmiths made and repaired metal tools. The community also made furniture, baskets, and clothing. They even supplied goods and services to other nearby towns. Forty-five of these colonists signed a paper in 1851. This paper helped create Burnet County.

Challenges and Changes

Life in Burnet County was not always easy for the Mormon settlers. They faced several difficulties. They also worried about attacks from Native American groups. On top of that, they had financial problems. Because of these challenges, Lyman Wight decided to move the group again.

Moving On

Wight sold their property to a man named Noah Smithwick. Some of the Mormon settlers chose to stay in Burnet County. They continued to work at the mill. Smithwick then opened a store and a school for those who remained. He also made changes to the mill. These changes made it easier for local farmers to use the mill.

In December 1853, Wight and his followers moved to Bandera County. They started a new settlement called Mormon Camp in March 1854. While working to build this new camp, Wight passed away. He was buried back in Zodiac. Today, Mormon Camp is covered by the waters of Medina Lake. This lake is man-made.

The Mill's Final Years

Noah Smithwick eventually sold Mormon Mill to his nephew, John R. Hubbard. The community had a post office for a while.

The Post Office and Decline

A post office was first opened on May 23, 1856. John R. Hubbard was the first postmaster. The post office opened and closed several times over the years. It was finally closed for good on May 6, 1875. The mill itself had many different owners after that. The number of people living in Mormon Mill started to decrease after the post office closed for the last time. The mill stopped operating completely in 1901. Most of the buildings either burned down later or their materials were used for other constructions.