Goldthwaite: History, Golf and Park Amenities

Goldthwaite offers several themes for your stay: historical sites, exhibits on regional history, golf and amenities at McMahan City Park. When looking for hotels for your trip, you can start by deciding which of these themes will shape your plans. The time of year may also matter: the swimming pool is open seasonally, while the BBQ and Goat Cook-off takes place annually in late April.

Historical Sites

The Mills County Courthouse has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 2000. Since 2002, it has also been designated a State Antiquities Landmark and a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark. The Mills County Jail was built in 1888 and is located on the courthouse grounds; it is considered the oldest government building in Goldthwaite. The First Methodist Church of Goldthwaite traces its history back to the mid-1850s. These sites reflect different aspects of local history: the history of a church, the construction date of a government building and the Courthouse’s formal designations. This lets you explore local history through its different connections, rather than treating the building’s history and its later historic designations as the same thing.

Exhibits Spanning Fossils and Material Culture

The changing exhibits at the Mills County Historical Museum feature prehistoric fossils from Central Texas as well as material culture from 19th- and 20th-century Mills County. The subjects differ in both geographic scope and time period: the fossils come from Central Texas, while the material culture relates to Mills County and two centuries. The museum thus brings together natural history and material cultural history. During your stay, these exhibits complement the history of buildings and churches with a distinct perspective on fossils and material culture.

Golf: Nine Holes and an 18-Hole Round

The Goldthwaite Municipal Golf Course is a nine-hole course with two teeing areas per hole. Each hole can be played twice, allowing for a full 18-hole round. The nine-hole figure describes the course’s holes, while 18 holes refers to the possible length of a round; two teeing areas is a separate detail about the layout of each hole. This distinction can help you understand the course size and the length of a full round when planning to include golf in your trip.

McMahan City Park: Amenities, Season and Event

With several pavilions, playground equipment, a volleyball court and a basketball court, restrooms and picnic tables, McMahan City Park offers opportunities for sports, play and a break outdoors. The park hosts the official State Championship BBQ and Goat Cook-off every year in late April. If you want to include the event in your travel plans, check the specific dates for that year. The park’s swimming pool is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays during that period. As opening hours may change, check the municipal schedule before your visit.

Get Your Bearings at the Goldthwaite Welcome Center

The Goldthwaite Welcome Center provides information about attractions, businesses and events in the area. Free parking for vehicles is available behind the Welcome Center. If you want to include destinations or events in the surrounding area in your plans as well as Goldthwaite, you can use the center’s information to help.

For the broader travel overview: Mills County.