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History in
a Pecan Shell
The town is named
after Englishman Andrew Kingsmill, a representative of British investors
who held the bonds for the White Deer Lands Trust. This company had
assumed control of the failed Francklyn Land and Cattle Company in
the mid 1880s. Kingsmill was sent to check on things for the company
in 1902 and look into perhaps selling off the land. While there, Kingmill
did a little investing for his employer - a former British Prime Minister
named Rosebery. A water well was drilled on the land and naturally
water brought settlers. In 1907 a depot at the new community was built
by the Southern Kansas Railway of Texas.
A post office was opened under the name Elca in 1916 but the
founder was recognised with a name change to King's Mill in the 1920s.
The oil discovery that brought a boom to Pampa
also benefited King's Mill - and by the early 1930s there was a population
of 400 people served by 16 businesses.
But after WWII
King's Millers left for greener pastures and Pampa
drew off much of the population. The town decreased to just 150 people
by 1947. The post office closed sometime before 1966 and from the
late 60s through 1990 only 65 people were on the census.
King's Mill was suggested for inclusion by Sharon Thomas of Pampa
who wrote: "Have you considered putting Kingsmill, Texas on the Ghost
town list? It is just a few miles west of Pampa located near the Celanese
chemical plant. There was some type of contamination and they bought
everyone out and tore down every structure in the town. All that is
left is a grain elevator with a feed store. As a child in the eighties,
I remember passing through there, as I still do today, and saw all
the houses along the highway. They are all gone now, but you can still
see evidence of where the houses, barns, etc., used to be." |
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Gray
County 1920s map showing Kings Mill near Carson
County line
From Texas state map #10749
Courtesy
Texas General Land Office |
| Texas
Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing
Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories,
landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact
us. |
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