Thrifty

Once a thriving agricultural area and regional trade center, the community of Thrifty was established after the U. S. Army relocated Camp Colorado, a frontier defense post, along nearby Jim Ned Creek in 1857. The first family to settle permanently in the area was that of Charles Mullins, whose three sons and one daughter and their families established ranches and homes in the Jim Ned Creek valley. Once federal troops were withdrawn from the area after Texas voters elected to secede from the Union in February 1861, settlers were on their own to provide for their defense, encountering many of the dangers of frontier life. Thrifty saw its greatest development in the period following the Civil War and Reconstruction, when a post office was established (first under the name Jim Ned, later named Thrifty). John Charles Mullins donated four acres of land for school and church purposes in 1881. At one time, Thrifty had a hotel, saloon, sawmill, sorghum press, cotton gin, blacksmith shop and physicians' offices. The mercantile store, operated by Dr. G. W. Allen and John Charles Mullins, served as a regional trading center for farmers and ranchers in the area. In 1886, the railroad bypassed Thrifty, and its life as a vital trade center diminished. This event, coupled with a severe drought between 1885 and 1888, triggered an exodus from the community, as residents sought viable employment elsewhere. The story of Thrifty remains as a lesson in the development of the Texas frontier and a part of Brown County's history. (2001)

Thrifty is a historical marker in Brownwood vicinity, Brown County, dedicated in 2001. It is one of 54 historical markers documented in Brown County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 74 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.8104, -99.1315 near Brownwood vicinity. The nearest cataloged historic site is Rick Family (cemetery), about 0.4 miles away. Others within a short drive include Mullins Heritage Park, Mud Creek Cemetery, and Rocky Creek Baptist Church.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5049012598. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.