An off-season (Winter?) picture of the Vichy Well Natatorium, once located in the 600 block of North Oak Avenue, where North Oak Community Center now [2008] stands is illustrated here. The picture is dated the time around 1900. The Vichy well featured a swimming pool, which it labelled a "Natatorium." Later improvements, when the name was changed to The Standard Well, included a motion-picture theater and a pavilion for dancing. (Note the Dr. A.W. Thompson residence and the Mineral Wells Sanitarium on the right skyline.) A USO was built on this location In World War II for white servicemen at Camp Wolters. The USO building was turned over to the city at the end of the war, and became known as the North Oak Community Center. Preservation efforts are underway [in 2008] to restore the Community Center.

Spectators are shown here, at a spring play-day frolic at Elmhurst Park around 1910. The popular park once boasted a Casino, a Dancing Pavilion, Exhibit Halls, and Outdoor Sports Fields. It hosted the County Fair and sports events until 1913. On the closure of Elmhurst Park, the City of Mineral Wells became the owner of the property. It was used for a housing development during World War II to accommodate families of soldiers and civilian workers at Camp Wolters. The City of Mineral Wells built city's water treatment facilities on the site of the former park after World War II.

The Standard Park not only boasted a swimming pool, but a movie theater and dancing pavilion, as well, for the entertainment of health-seekers. A trolley to it operated at 600 North Oak Street from 1907 to 1913. (Note the Kingsley Hotel above and left of the Standard, built into the side of East Mountain--later destroyed by fire.) First known as the Vichy Well and Natatorium, then later as the Beach, the Standard was torn down in World War II; and a USO Club was built here for soldiers at Camp Wolters. The USO building was given to the city after the war, and renamed the North Oak Community Center. The Crazy Water Festival Committee is currently [2003] attempting to restore the Community Center.

Panoramic photograph of Lake Mineral Wells. An island, visible in the center of this picture, was initially accessible only by boat; but a wooden walkway eventually connected it to the concrete dam.

Daily newspaper from Mineral Wells, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.

Found on page 158 of "TIME WAS In Mineral Wells" by A. F. Weaver, the caption to this picture reads, "Entrance to the original Camp Wolters around the 1930's. This entrance was located near and behind the present National Guard Armory." The Texas National Guard 112th Cavalry Service Troop maintained an armory on West Mountain, from a time before 1923. The hill itself was dubbed "Cavalry Hill." The Service Troop was later re-named 124th Cavalry, Troop F--which attained to fame as part of the task force that cleared the Burma Road in World War II. Camp Wolters was built for summer training of the Texas National Guard in 1927. It was to be used for a minimum of three weeks each year. The famous CCC (The Civilian Conservation Corps) stayed in the camp in 1930, and built several of the rock structures in the camp--and also around Mineral Wells. The original site had sen many uses: It was a P.O.W. camp for German prisoners taken during World War II; it was Texas National Guard property; and it was later given over to commercial use. An embedded star that was once on the headquarters of the parade ground of the original …

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Palo Pinto, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.