Mineral Wells, Texas


Mineral Wells is a city in Palo Pinto and Parker Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. The population was 16,788 at the 2010 census. The city is named for mineral springs in the area, which were highly popular in the early 1900s.

History

In 1919, Mineral Wells hosted the spring training camp for the Chicago White Sox, the year of the famous "Black Sox" scandal involving "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. Mineral Wells also hosted spring training for the Cincinnati Reds and St. Louis Cardinals in the 1910s and early 1920s. The baseball field was located in the center of town where a shopping center now sits.
In 1952, Mineral Wells was the host of the Republican state convention in which delegates divided between presidential candidates Dwight D. Eisenhower and Senator 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 thereafter nominated and elected.

Economy

Mineral Wells is most famous for its Baker Hotel. Mineral Wells also hosts a variety of purportedly paranormal hauntings and ghost tours including the Baker Hotel, the Crazy Water Hotel, and the Haunted Hill House.
The "Crazy Well" was so named after the symptoms of a woman with mental illness were observed to improve after drinking the water for an extended period. Cures for a variety of other illnesses have been attributed to the "Crazy Water", but not supported by scientific evidence. One medical historian noted that lithium is present in trace amounts in many Texas wells, and is also currently used as a treatment for depression.

Geography

Mineral Wells is located at . Mineral Wells lies east of the Brazos River and Palo Pinto Mountains.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.2 square miles, of which 20.5 square miles of it are land and 0.7 square miles of it is covered by water.
Mineral Wells is west of Fort Worth and east of Abilene.

Demographics

As of the census 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. There were 6,386 housing units at an average density of 312.2 per square mile. 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 were 5,707 households, of which 31.7% had 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% were classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. Of 5,707 households, 373 were 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.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. The Köppen climate classification describes the weather as humid subtropical, and uses the code Cfa.

Government

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice operates the Mineral Wells District Parole Office in Mineral Wells. The Corrections Corporation of America operated the Mineral Wells Pre-Parole Transfer Facility in the Fort Wolters Industrial Park on behalf of the TDCJ. It closed in August 2013. The correctional facility, which had been operated by CCA since 1995, is located on the property of the former Fort Wolters in Palo Pinto County and in Mineral Wells. It can house up to 2,100 prisoners. As of March 2013 its annual payroll was $11.7 million and it was among the largest employers in Mineral Wells, with about 300 employees. On Monday March 4, 2013 the Texas Senate Senate Finance Committee voted 11-4 to close the correctional facility. Mike Allen, the mayor of Mineral Wells, criticized the closure, saying "We'll lose right at over 300 jobs, and 300 jobs in a community of 17,000... is devastating. This means a lot to this community." John Whitmire, the head of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee, said "We're sitting on about 12,000 empty beds, so it just makes good business sense... that we not operate it, and we take those savings and plow them back into additional public safety programs."
The United States Postal Service operates the Mineral Wells Post Office. Zip codes are 76067 and 76068.

Controversies

In June 2019, a complaint was filed against Mayor Christopher Perricone and American Precision Ammunition president Matt Campbell. It alleged that Perricone had provided false material information under sworn oath during a March hearing before the Appraisal Review Board to contest the taxable value on Campbell's property. The Palo Pinto County Sheriff's Office said in July that his department had concluded its investigation, and the matter was referred to the Texas Rangers for further investigation.
In July 2019, Mayor Christopher Perricone went on record declaring Mineral Wells a "sanctuary city for the unborn" after Waskom, TX passed a similar ordinance. This prompted quick responses from the ACLU of Texas and NARAL, both of which stated Roe v. Wade is settled law. On July 16, 2019, the city council and the mayor received letters from the ACLU urging the defeat of this ordinance while asserting it was prepared to defend the rights of women in the courts. Ultimately the city council voted 5-2 with the ordinance failing.

Education

Mineral Wells is served by the Mineral Wells Independent School District.
The area is also served by Community Christian School , a private educational facility, offering Pre-K4 through 12th Grades.
Weatherford College also operates a branch campus on the old Fort Wolters facility.

Notable people