Photograph of a Martin MB-1 Bomber being looked over by army personnel, civilians, and children. A service truck is parked against the bomber. The MB-1 Bomber was designed and built by the Glen L. Martin Company for the United States Army Air Service towards the end of WWI, making its debut in late 1918.

Photograph of two women sitting at a table working at Gates Memorial Library; they are identified as students in a college library science class. There are various labeling tools and books on the table. In the background, there is a bookshelf. Text below the photograph says, "Memorial Library Port Arthur, Texas. Department of Book Preparation, Accession work and Labelling Assisted by the Library Science Class. 1918."

Photograph of an exterior view of the Gates Memorial Library Dedication Day. A crowd of people are gathered outside the entrance of the library. In the foreground, there are cars parked along a street. In the background, there are houses.

In 1857, Michael Seeligson was the first postmaster at Beeville-on the Medio (originally Medio Hill in Goliad County), five miles northeast of the present town of Beeville. In the new county seat after 1889, the Beeville Post Office was moved several times. Opened on June 5, 1918, the present neoclassical building was built under Secretary of the Treasury William G. McAdoo, with Supervising Architect James A. Wetmore. During construction, on May 7, 1917, contractor Robert B. Brown shot and killed Drayman J.P. Hermes. Found guilty of homicide in federal court, Brown appealed. In 1921, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Oliver Wendell Homes ruled that Brown acted in self defense, thus establishing the right to stand one’s ground in federal law. With the WWII boom and Chase Naval Air Field, the Beeville Post Office was upgraded to a first-class post office in 1944. Other changes followed, such as the end of mail contracts for the railroads in December of 1952. In 1961, the size of the building was doubled by the matched addition of the north half of the present structure. Much needed parking space was provided on the south side of the building in 1989. One block from the courthouse, this …

Photograph of an interior view of Gates Memorial Library. Panes of glass separating parts of the library are decorated with World War I propaganda. In the foreground, there are study tables. In the background, there are bookshelves. Text on the bottom-right of the photograph says "Memorial Library Port Arthur Texas Interior View Gates Day May 18, 1918 Patriotic Bulletin Board."

Photograph of a crowd of people at a World War I rally in front of a federal building on the corner of Austin Avenue and Fifth Street. One group is standing on the steps and in the doorway. Some people are leaning on the side of the building. In the foreground, a crowd is facing the building.

Photograph of an interior view of Gates Memorial Library. In the foreground, there is a man and woman sitting at a table reading. To each side of them, there are empty tables. Behind them, there is a circulation desk facing the entrance, which is surrounded by two panes of glass. In the foreground, there are other people sitting at tables. Bookshelves line the walls. Text at the bottom-right of the photograph says "Memorial Library Port Arthur, Texas Interior View Gates Day, May 18, 1918." Mrs. John W. Gates donated $25,000 for the construction of the library in memory of her husband, John W. Gates, and their son, Charles W Gates.