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City · Parker County
Mineral Wells
Population ~14,800 · Mineral Wells ISD
Crazy Water town
Rams
3,300
Students
C
TEA rating
88.7%
Grad rate
☕ Mineral Wells brief Wed, Jul 15
Crazy Water Festival next weekend
Downtown · 3-day · live music + food + crazy water tasting
Wolters Field air show postponed
Weather · rescheduled May 31
Local News
Mineral Wells headlines
🏛️ Civic · Mineral Wells
Mineral Wells council overhauls dangerous-buildings ordinance, shifts final call to council
The Mineral Wells City Council passed an ordinance July 7 amending Chapter 26 of the city code covering dangerous buildings and structures, according to the city's published public notice. The change establishes a board of city staff to make initial determinations and issue notices, eliminates the prior building and standards commission, and requires that final decisions and abatement orders be made by the city council itself. It also updates the definition of a dangerous building and other outdated language, and sets a penalty of up to $2,000 for violations.
📋 Public Notice
Mineral Wells Housing Authority public meeting Thursday May 28 at 4:30 p.m.
The Mineral Wells Housing Authority will hold a public meeting Thursday, May 28, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. Public-notice catch — agenda details pending. Source: Weatherford Democrat legals.
⛈️ Storm Recovery
Mineral Wells releases tornado damage tally after Tuesday-night storm
Mineral Wells officials released an official damage tally following the EF-3 tornado: 140 properties impacted, 82 of those residences; no fatalities and five injuries (all expected to recover) within city limits. Fire Chief Ryan Dunn estimated cleanup will take roughly a year with rebuilding taking longer; Mayor Reagan Johnson credited the community response. NWS upgraded the storm to EF-3 with winds near 140 mph. Sources: City of Mineral Wells, NWS Fort Worth, CBS Texas, Spectrum News, NBC 5 DFW, FOX 4.
✈️ Business
Mineral Wells airport gets first private-jet operator
Wolters Field signs 10-year lease with Flexjet sub. 12 new jobs. Brings annual fuel sales over $1M for first time since the base closed.
From across Parker County
🐴 Animal Health · Parker County
State officials confirm equine herpes (EHM) case in a Parker County donkey
The Texas Animal Health Commission has confirmed a case of equine herpes myeloencephalopathy — the neurologic disease linked to equine herpesvirus — in a weanling donkey at a Parker County horse rescue on June 24, according to an Equine Disease Communication Center report. Clinical signs began June 17 with extreme lethargy and labored breathing, followed by fever, an elevated heart rate, diarrhea and discolored areas of the mouth; the donkey was eventually euthanized. TAHC said epidemiological investigations indicate the exposure does not involve large equine events such as rodeos, and that staff are working with the owner and veterinarians; exposed animal owners have been notified and placed under a hold order until further assessment. The agency noted EHM, a potentially fatal disease, saw an outbreak in November after it was found in a Texas quarter horse that had competed at a rodeo in Waco. Thirty EHM cases with neurological signs have been recorded in Texas, with twelve confirmed in Oklahoma and additional cases reported in Louisiana, South Dakota, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Washington. Officials urged equine owners to practice strong biosecurity, monitor their animals closely and consult a veterinarian immediately if signs appear.
🏆 Sports · State Championship
Robinson defeats Brock 3–1 to win first state baseball title in program history
Robinson defeated Brock 3–1 Friday at Dell Diamond in Round Rock to claim the Rockets' first-ever state baseball championship in the Class 4A Division II final. Brock strung together 10 hits but stranded 10 base runners. Robinson's Caden Coe was named game MVP after a two-RBI single in the fifth inning provided the decisive margin. Brock pitcher Weston Pickard had a no-hitter through four innings before Brock took a 1-1 tie in the fourth on an RBI double. Source: Sports Illustrated High School · kcentv.com · Published 2026-06-05
🪦 History · Parker County
Texas Historical Commission marker unveiled at Parker County's 1869 Dicey Cemetery
A Texas Historical Commission marker was unveiled at Dicey Cemetery, a Parker County pioneer burial ground established in 1869. Nearly 100 supporters attended the dedication ceremony. Parker County Historical Commission President Teri Hubbard unveiled the marker; Dicey Cemetery Association President Mark Woolsey also spoke. The marker was provided through the THC's Undertold Stories Program, which funds applications documenting significant local stories from across Texas. The cemetery application was submitted in 2023 and selected for the program that year. Sources: Weatherford Democrat · Springtown Epigraph · Azle News.
All Mineral Wells + Parker County stories → Around Town
Why we cover Mineral Wells
Editorial-policy note · locked 2026-05-26 in the Project Runbook.
Editorial policy
Mineral Wells is mostly in Palo Pinto County. We cover it as if it's wholly in Parker County. Here's why.
A section of Mineral Wells IS in Parker County — and the Desk prioritizes the border resident who can't tell the difference. Where the line is matters less than what's true for the resident. So even though most of Mineral Wells sits in Palo Pinto, our newsroom treats it as a first-class Parker County town for civic alerts, news, calendar, comparisons, and stats. This holds once a Palo Pinto County Desk launches — Mineral Wells stays native on both. Same principle applies to other border communities (Annetta, parts of Walsh) when they come up.
Locked 2026-05-26
Known for
- Crazy Water Wells
- Baker Hotel (1929)
- Wolters Field airport
The Story of Mineral Wells
Mineral Wells exists because of a single well and a lot of optimism. In 1877 James Alvis Lynch moved his family west seeking a drier climate to ease their rheumatism, settling in a valley in the hills along the Parker–Palo Pinto line. In 1880 a driller sank a well in exchange for some of Lynch's oxen — and when the family drank the water, they swore they felt better.
Word of the "healing waters" spread fast. Within months strangers were streaming to the Lynch property, and in the fall of 1881 the town of Mineral Wells was formally established, with Lynch naming himself its first mayor.
The most famous of the many wells that followed was the Crazy Well — named, the story goes, for an elderly woman whose mental troubles seemed to lift after she drank from it twice a day. The water's naturally high lithium content gave the legend a kernel of science, and "Crazy Water" grew into a national brand.
At the height of the spa boom the towering Baker Hotel opened in 1929 as a 460-room international resort, drawing celebrities, musicians, cattle barons and politicians — and, by local legend, even Bonnie and Clyde. Though most of Mineral Wells lies in Palo Pinto County, a portion reaches into Parker County, and the Desk covers the whole Crazy Water town as one.
Sources: Mineral Wells Area Chamber of Commerce; The Baker Hotel and Spa; Texas State Historical Association, Handbook of Texas.
🗓️ Coming this week Full calendar →
THU
9
Springtown City Council
7pm · agenda online
MON
13
Willow Park City Council
6pm · agenda online
TUE
14
Aledo City Council
7pm · agenda online
TUE
14
Hudson Oaks City Council
6:30pm · agenda online
TUE
14
Reno City Council
7pm · agenda online
WED
15
Azle ISD Board of Trustees
7pm · agenda online
MON
20
Parker County Commissioners Court
10am · agenda online
MON
20
Aledo ISD Board of Trustees
6pm · agenda online
MON
20
Weatherford ISD Board of Trustees
6pm · agenda online
MON
20
Springtown ISD Board of Trustees
6:30pm · agenda online
MON
20
Mineral Wells ISD Board of Trustees
6pm · agenda online
MON
20
Brock ISD Board of Trustees
7pm · agenda online
MON
20
Peaster ISD Board of Trustees
7pm · agenda online
MON
20
Poolville ISD Board of Trustees
7pm · agenda online
TUE
21
Mineral Wells City Council
6:30pm · agenda online
Activities
Things to do in Mineral Wells
Kids, library, sports, fitness, classes, camps, open play — sourced from libraries, parks, and partner orgs across Mineral Wells.
No activities currently on the desk for Mineral Wells. New programs are added when partner orgs publish a public schedule. See this weekend across Parker County or tip the desk on a missing program.
Civic & Government
Mineral Wells civic life
Reach the right desk
By the Numbers
Mineral Wells at a glance
Population
14,800
Type
city
School District
Mineral Wells ISD
ISD Enrollment
3,300
As of 2026-05-22
Grad rate
88.7%
Per-pupil spend
$9,840
County
Parker + Palo Pinto (mostly Palo Pinto)
School ISD comparison
All all 9 Parker County ISDs side-by-side: enrollment, accountability rating, graduation rate, per-pupil spending, AP offerings. Updated when TEA accountability publishes.
| ISD | Students | Rating | Grad rate | Per-pupil | AP courses |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weatherford | 8203 | C | 94.6% | $11,874 | 22 |
| Aledo | 8127 | A | 98.1% | $10,512 | 28 |
| Azle | 7218 | C | 97.7% | $10,395 | 18 |
| Springtown | 4166 | C | 92.1% | $10,928 | 12 |
| Mineral Wells | 3300 | C | 88.7% | $9,840 | 9 |
| Brock | 2190 | A | 95.0% | $10,800 | 11 |
| Millsap | 1100 | B | 100.0% | $14,256 | |
| Peaster | 720 | B | 95.3% | $11,200 | 6 |
| Poolville | 610 | B | 94.1% | $11,400 | 5 |
Updated 2026-05-18
Median home price by city (Apr 2026)
MLS data, single-family detached, last 90 days. School ratings drive the spread more than acreage.
| City | Median price | YoY change | Days on market |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aledo | $513,000 | +6.0% | 116 |
| Willow Park | $500,000 | +23.0% | 114 |
| Hudson Oaks | $478,000 | +2.8% | 36 |
| Weatherford | $350,000 | +8.5% | 84 |
| Azle | $312,186 | -2.0% | 69 |
| Springtown | $400,000 | +25.0% | 151 |
| Mineral Wells | $215,000 | +0.4% | 55 |
Updated 2026-05-18
Ask the Desk
Questions about Mineral Wells
Is there a burn ban right now?
Yes — county-wide as of May 12. Commissioners imposed the ban after the dry stretch in April. Lifted only after measurable rain and the fire marshal's sign-off. Current status always at parkercountytx.gov/firemarshal.
Is the water from Crazy Water Wells still safe to drink?
Yes, and tested. Mineral Wells' famous Crazy Water Well No. 4 is tested monthly by TCEQ. Latest report (April 2026) showed normal mineral content, no contamination. The 'crazy' designation is folklore from the 1880s, not a …
Is Mineral Wells in Parker County or Palo Pinto County?
Both — but mostly Palo Pinto County, with a portion extending into Parker County. The City of Mineral Wells straddles the Palo Pinto/Parker county line, and the larger share sits in Palo Pinto. Its 2020 census population wa…
What school district serves Mineral Wells?
Mineral Wells ISD — based in Palo Pinto County, with a small portion extending into Parker County. Mineral Wells Independent School District is primarily in Palo Pinto County but crosses the county line so a small part reac…
All Mineral Wells Q&As → Community Voice
From Mineral Wells residents
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