Milford, Texas | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Downtown Milford in 2010 | |
| Motto: "Small town living with room to grow" | |
 Location of Milford, Texas | |
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| Coordinates:32°07′27″N96°56′57″W / 32.12417°N 96.94917°W /32.12417; -96.94917 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Texas |
| County | Ellis |
| Area | |
• Total | 2.47 sq mi (6.39 km2) |
| • Land | 2.46 sq mi (6.37 km2) |
| • Water | 0.0077 sq mi (0.02 km2) |
| Elevation | 637 ft (194 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 722 |
| • Density | 303.5/sq mi (117.18/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 76670 |
| Area codes | 214, 469, 945, 972 |
| FIPS code | 48-48408[3] |
| GNIS feature ID | 2412995[2] |
| Website | cityofmilfordtx |
Milford is an incorporated rural community located inNorth CentralTexas, in the southwestern corner ofEllis County, United States. The population was 722 at the 2020 census.[4]
The town is located 14 miles (23 km) northeast ofHillsboro and 20 miles (32 km) southwest ofWaxahachie. The community received media attention due to a Chevron gas pipeline explosion and resulting town evacuation which occurred in 2013.[5][6]
Milford dates back to the 1850s, when several men fromCherokee County came to the Mill Creek valley and bought land at 50 cents an acre from Ellis County landowner Arvin Wright. Milford was named by William R. Hudson after the factory town ofMilford, Massachusetts. During 1853 the first house, a combined residence and general store belonging to William R. Hudson, was built, along with a two-story schoolhouse which served as church and community hall until it burned during theCivil War. In 1854 Wright, Hudson, and J.M. Higgins laid out town lots atop a ridge. In 1857, agristmill began operation at the community. Milford was incorporated in 1888, with W.R. McDaniel serving as the first mayor. In 1890, the tracks of the Dallas and Waco Railway (later acquired by theMissouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad) reached the community, which became an important shipping point for areacotton farmers.
By 1892 Milford had grown to a population of 800, and had three churches, a bank, a hotel, twocotton gins, and approximately two dozen other businesses, as well as a weekly newspaper. There were now two schools in Milford, Mollie Poe's private Lone Star Institute and the community-financed Milford Academy. In 1902 the Presbyterian Synod of Texas accepted the town's offer to open theTexas Presbyterian College for Girls in Milford, and by 1925 theDallas-Waco electric interurban railway had reached the town. The town continued to flourish, with the population soaring to 1,200 by 1929, but the population saw a slow decline due to theGreat Depression, and the Presbyterian college closed due to lagging enrollment. By 1931 the population of Milford was 747, and would continue to decline as the population reached a low of 490 in 1968. The town would grow once again, and by 1990 the population was back up to 711, before dropping to 685 in 2000.[7]
Just after 8:30AM CDT on November 14, 2013, an explosion and resulting fire occurred near the intersection of U.S. 77 andFM 308 when a 10 inchChevron Corporationliquefied petroleum gas pipeline was punctured by a Chevron drilling crew. The five man crew abandoned the rig and escaped the explosion unharmed.[5][6]
Due to concerns about harmful air quality conditions due to the burning pipeline, and the proximity of the fire to another larger gas line, the entire town of approximately 700 residents was forced to evacuate, including Milford ISD staff and students, to the nearby town ofItaly as a 1.5-mile (2.4 km) evacuation zone was established.[8]
While some residents were permitted to return to the town temporarily under police escort, the town remained evacuated through November 16 as the pipeline continued to burn. The fire also caused the postponement of a six-man football playoff game scheduled for November 15 as the players could not retrieve their gear.[9]
The company issued several statements through their website expressing their sincere regret to people impacted by this event which included a toll-free claims hotline which residents affected by the incident could call. The company also provided overnight accommodations at local hotels for residents due to conditions not allowing them to return home.[10]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.4 km2), of which 0.01 square miles (0.02 km2), or 0.29%, is water.[4]
U.S. Route 77 passes through the center of town as Main Street, whileInterstate 35E runs along the northern edge of town, with access from Exit 381. DowntownDallas is 48 miles (77 km) to the north.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 164 | — | |
| 1890 | 353 | 115.2% | |
| 1900 | 653 | 85.0% | |
| 1910 | 766 | 17.3% | |
| 1920 | 940 | 22.7% | |
| 1930 | 747 | −20.5% | |
| 1940 | 767 | 2.7% | |
| 1950 | 690 | −10.0% | |
| 1960 | 590 | −14.5% | |
| 1970 | 664 | 12.5% | |
| 1980 | 681 | 2.6% | |
| 1990 | 711 | 4.4% | |
| 2000 | 685 | −3.7% | |
| 2010 | 728 | 6.3% | |
| 2020 | 722 | −0.8% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[11] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 375 | 51.94% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 153 | 21.19% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 7 | 0.97% |
| Asian (NH) | 6 | 0.83% |
| Pacific Islander (NH) | 1 | 0.14% |
| Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH) | 32 | 4.43% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 148 | 20.5% |
| Total | 722 |
As of 2023, there were 1,033 people, residing in the town. With a median age of 39.1.[15]
The town is served by theMilford Independent School District and is home to theMilford High School Bulldogs.
From 1902–1929, the town was home to theTexas Presbyterian College for Girls. Milford gave the school 10 acres (4.0 ha) of land and $25,000 to assist in its founding. It was later expanded to 40 acres (16 ha) before closing in 1929 and merging withAustin College inSherman, Texas.
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Milford is the setting of the 2015 sci-fi, action comedy filmLazer Team. This movie was the first feature-length film ever created by a company founded, and located in Texas calledRooster Teeth.
Milford is also the setting of the 2016 independent comedy and LGBT film "Hurricane Bianca" starring actor and drag superstar "Bianca Del Rio" (Roy Haylock).
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Municipalities and communities ofEllis County, Texas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other communities | ||
| Ghost towns | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
