Pioneers migrated to western Mills County to take advantage of the area's rich soil and ample water supply. The community of Regency, originally Hannah Valley, received a post office in 1889, but few vestiges of Regency remain today. Other area residents organized the Ebony community, originally Buffalo, in 1879. Regency and Ebony had churches, schools, and other institutions. The Ridge community, originally Cold Springs, formed in 1888. The Ridge School Building, built in 1931, was later used as a community center. During World War II, the U.S. Government purchased land in the region to form Camp Bowie, and the towns declined when many residents did not return following the war.