Mineral Wells, Texas

Mineral Wells, Texas
—  City  —
Downtown Mineral Wells
Location of MineralWells, Texas
Coordinates: 32°48′31″N 98°6′7″W / 32.80861°N 98.10194°W / 32.80861; -98.10194Coordinates: 32°48′31″N 98°6′7″W / 32.80861°N 98.10194°W / 32.80861; -98.10194
Country	United States
State	Texas
Counties	Palo Pinto, Parker
Government
- Type	Council-Manager
- City Council	Mayor Mike Allen Margaret H. Colton Chris Crawford Tommy Blissitte Bill Terry John Upham Deartis Nickerson
- City Manager	Lance Howerton
Area
- Total	21.2 sq mi (54.9 km2)
- Land	20.5 sq mi (53.0 km2)
- Water	0.7 sq mi (1.9 km2)
Elevation	883 ft (269 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	16,946
- Density	828.6/sq mi (319.9/km2)
Time zone	Central (CST) (UTC-6)
- Summer (DST)	CDT (UTC-5)
ZIP codes	76067-76068
Area code(s)	940
FIPS code	48-48684[1]
GNIS feature ID	1341714[2]
Website	MineralWellsTX.gov

Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,946 at the 2000 census. The city is named for mineral springs in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s. Mineral Wells is most famous for its Baker Hotel.

In 1952, Mineral Wells was the host of the Republican state convention in which delegates divided between presidential candidates Dwight D. Eisenhower and Robert A. Taft. Though state chairman Orville Bullington of Wichita Falls led the Taft forces, the convention vote ultimately went 33-5 in favor of Eisenhower, who was threafter nominated and elected.

Mineral Wells was the birthplace and principal place of residence of Chet Upham, chairman of the Texas Republican Party from 1979-1983 and founder of Upham Oil and Gas Company in Mineral Wells and the Loveland Ski Area in Colorado.

Also from Mineral Wells is Astronaut Millie Hughes-Fulford, who graduated from Mineral Wells High School in 1962. Dr. Hughes-Fulford flew aboard STS-40 Spacelab Life Sciences (SLS 1) in June 1991 as a Mission Specialist conducting medical experiments, logging over 3.2 million miles in 146 orbits.

Geography

Mineral Wells is located at 32°48′31″N 98°6′7″W / 32.80861°N 98.10194°W / 32.80861; -98.10194 (32.808594, -98.101859)^[3].

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.2 square miles (54.9 km²), of which, 20.5 square miles (53.0 km²) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.9 km²) of it (3.45%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 16,946 people, 5,707 households, and 3,857 families residing in the city. The population density was 828.6 people per square mile (319.9/km²). There were 6,386 housing units at an average density of 312.2 per square mile (120.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 77.69% White, 8.77% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 10.50% from other races, and 1.84% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.27% of the population.

There are 5,707 households, of which 31.7% have 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% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 5,707 households, 373 are unmarried partner households: 348 heterosexual, 18 same-sex male, and 7 same-sex female households. 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 population was spread out with 24.1% under the age of 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 years of age 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 the median income for a family was $33,765. Males had a median income of $29,074 versus $18,633 for females. The per capita income for the city was $13,336. About 16.6% of families and 20.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.2% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) operates the Mineral Wells District Parole Office in Mineral Wells.^[4]

The United States Postal Service operates the Mineral Wells Post Office. Zip codes are 76067 and 76068.^[5]

Education

The City of Mineral Wells is served by the Mineral Wells Independent School District.

The area is also served by Community Christian School[1], a private educational facility, offering Pre-K4 through 12th Grades.

Weatherford College also operates a branch campus on the old Fort Wolters facility.

Gallery

• 

  Entrance sign

• 

  Baker Hotel

• 

  Site of historic Famous Mineral Water Company

• 

  Crazy Water Retirement Hotel

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
2. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. 2007-10-25. http://geonames.usgs.gov. Retrieved 2008-01-31. 
3. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. 2011-02-12. http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/gazette.html. Retrieved 2011-04-23. 
4. ^ "Parole Division Region II." Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Retrieved on May 15, 2010.
5. ^ "Post Office™ Location - MINERAL WELLS." United States Postal Service. Retrieved on May 16, 2010.

External links

Dallas-Fort Worth portal

• Chamber of Commerce
• Historic Mineral Wells materials hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• Mineral Wells City Directories, 1909 and 1920, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• A Pictorial History of Fort Wolters, hosted by the Portal to Texas History
• Historic Mineral Wells postcards and photographs hosted by TXGenWeb Project
• Mineral Wells Guide
• Famous Mineral Water Co.- Home of Crazy Water