Milam

Formed January 8, 1836 (12^th county)

Milam County (24,750), Cameron (5,311), Rockdale (5,329)

A. O. Watson of Larmour & Watson designed the limestone courthouse of Milam County.  Built in 1892, this Renaissance Revival structure is located at the corner of 1^st and Central Avenue.  The site is two blocks southeast of the United States Highways 77 and 190 split.  The building was renovated in 1938 and restored in 2005.  A 1975 Tax Collector’s Office augments.  Caldwell was the original county seat from January 8, 1836.  Nashville was also the county seat; however, Cameron has been the home of the last five courthouses.  The county is one of the original 23 counties of Texas (12^th county.)  Benjamin Rush Milam, who died at the Alamo, gave the county its name.  Cameron was named Scot Ewen Cameron, a leader of the Mier Expedition.  Cameron County is also named for him. 

Milam County government consists of a sheriff, a County Judge, and 4 Commissioners.  One District Court Judge and One County Court Judge serve Milam County.  Milam County is situated in river estuary area of central Texas.  Its eastern border is the Brazos River.  Waco, Texas is north, Austin, Texas is west and Houston, Texas is southeast of the county.  The county center is 6.7 miles South of Cameron nearer Minerva.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Falls, Robertson, Burleson, Lee, Williamson, and Bell counties. 

The area of the county is 1017 square miles.  It is 69 out of 254 in the state.  It ranks 100 out of 254 in population in the state.  It has a density of 24.3 persons per square mile making it 117 out of 254 in the state.  Milam County has 51.1% of its population in its incorporated areas.  United States Highway 77 crosses north to south, Falls County to Lee County.  United States Highway 79 enters from Robertson County and exits into Williamson County.  United States Highway 190 goes east to west from Robertson County into Bell County.  It is a 45-degree rectangle shaped county.  Cameron is near the center of the county.  Rockdale is located in the southern third of the county.  Cameron is the county seat and Rockdale is the largest city.  Cameron is 21.5% of the county population while Rockdale is 21.5% of the county population.  The county is pronounced MY-LAM.  The county seat is pronounced CAM-E-RON.