Pine Mills, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Pine Mills, Texas
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 Pine Mills, Texas
Location in Texas
Pine Mills, Texas
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Wood |
| Elevation | 463 ft (141 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| Area code(s) | 430, 903 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1378867 |
Pine Mills is a very small, unincorporated community in Wood County, Texas, United States. An "unincorporated community" means it's a place with a name but no official local government, like a city or town. According to the Handbook of Texas, only three people lived in Pine Mills in 2002.
Contents
History of Pine Mills
Early Beginnings and Name Changes
Around 1850, a community called Liberty Hill started near where Pine Mills is today. This area was known for its sawmills, which cut timber into lumber. By 1854, a church called Holly Springs Baptist Church of Christ met at a place known as the Liberty Hill Meeting House. People in the area also made pottery as early as 1860.
In the early 1870s, the community was called Reedsville. This name likely came from a local sawmill owner named Richard G. (Dick) Reed. The name changed to Pine Mills in July 1875 when a post office was opened there. Richard Reed became the first postmaster.
Growth and Decline
Pine Mills grew quite a bit in the late 1800s. In 1884, about 130 people lived there. The community had two churches and several businesses. These businesses included a blacksmith, carpenters, two cotton gins, and several sawmills.
By 1892, the population reached 250 people. There were eleven businesses, including two physicians. A Church of Christ was also started in the community before 1892.
However, the good times didn't last forever. By 1905, most of the local timber was gone. This meant the sawmills, which were very important to the economy, had to leave. The population dropped to about 40 people by 1910, and the post office closed in 1907.
New Industries and Later Years
During the 1930s, Pine Mills still had a few businesses, including a factory. Honey became an important crop in the area after 1930. Farmers also started growing other special crops. By 1943, the population had grown a bit to 80 people.
In 1949, oil was discovered nearby, leading to the Pine Mills Oilfield. However, this discovery did not help the area's economy much. The population continued to shrink, reaching 70 people by the mid-1960s. At that time, Pine Mills had two churches, some scattered houses, and two businesses, one of which was a sawmill. A local pottery business started in 1979 and was still running in 2002.
Pine Mills was even mentioned in the famous song "I've Been Everywhere" by Geoff Mack!
Geography
Pine Mills is located in the southeastern part of Wood County, Texas. You can find it where three roads meet: Farm To Market Roads 14, 49, and 312. It is about ten miles southeast of Quitman, which is the county seat of Wood County.
Education
A school was part of the Pine Mills community as early as 1855. It was still open in 1884. In the 1930s, students in the community went to school in the Liberty School district. Today, children in Pine Mills are served by the Quitman Independent School District.
