Photo by
Dana Stubbs
The
Navarro Mills Community
A Flour mill built here in the
1860s drew pioneer commerce to this site. Flour was a luxury used
mostly for yeast bread, cakes, and biscuits served on Sundays or special
occasions. People traveled for considerable distances with their
wheat, and waited sometimes for days to have it ground. The
original mill property was bought from R. A. Younger in 1867 by John
Summers and sons. Several local residents owned shares in ensuing
years. The waters of Rock Creek furnished power. Besides
this mill and a cotton gin, there may have been other mills here.
The Navarro Mills post office
opened in 1874. A store, school, blacksmith shop, and other
facilities were developed. Local leaders included Confederate
veterans W. C. French (1821-97) and R. J. Wright (1837-1926)
The flour mill ceased operating
in 1881. The post office closed in 1882. To be revived only
briefly in later years. The community continued to thrive however.
An 1880s newcomer was a former county judge, James C. Key (1817-1910),
whose surname survives in the landmark Tandy Key road.
The cemetery, the Baptist Church
that was formed in 1901, and the tabernacle built in 1915 mark the site
of the historic village. (1976)
Location: 4 miles NE of Dawson, on
FM 667, via SH 31
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