Rural Communities of Western Mills County

Ridge got its name when W. D. Aldridge secured a post office in his store and named it for the last syllable of his own name. After 1915 rural delivery from Mullin replaced the office, and maps of 1936 show a school district there; in 1990 Ridge had a church and a cemetery, and in 2000 twenty-five residents. Camp Bowie, opened at Brownwood in 1940, reached south into Mills County. After the war most of the land acquired in 1940 was sold back to earlier owners or auctioned off, leaving a camp of about 5,400 acres in Brown County.

What the plaque says

Rural Communities of Western Mills County Pioneers migrated to western Mills county to take advantage of the area's rich soil and ample water supply. The community of Regency, (originally Hannah Valley) received a post office in 1889. Today, few vestiges of Regency remain. Other area residents organized the Ebony community (originally Buffalo) in 1879. Regency and Ebony had churches, schools and other institutions. The Ridge community (originally Cold Springs) formed in 1888. The Ridge school building, built in 1931, was later used as a community center. During World War II, the U.S. Government purchased land in the region to form Camp Bowie. The towns declined when many residents did not return following the war. (2008)

Where it stands

More markers nearby

• Jackson Massacre — 3.1 mi
• Regency Suspension Bridge — 3.9 mi
• Ratler, Texas and the Renfro Dam — 4.1 mi
• Site of Chesser Valley Community — 5.8 mi