An aerial view of Mineral Wells, Texas, taken by A. F. Weaver on April 29, 1967 looks North on Oak Avenue. Identifiable in the picture are the Baker Hotel to the middle right of the picture, The Crazy Hotel in the middle left, the old Post Office (now the Ladies Club) one block north of The Baker, and the Nazareth Hospital (one block left of The Crazy Hotel). Also in the picture are now-destroyed buildings: The Damron Hotel (just left of center), the Baker Water Storage Building (mid-upper right, small white building just to right of Baker Hotel), the Oxford Hotel (just right of center, now [2008] Lynch Plaza) and the Convention Hall(upper left).

Dated "Jan 10, 1919", this picture was contained in an envelope postmarked "Aug. 4 '75", and addressed to A. F. Weaver Photography from Charles W. [Windell] Simonds. Handwriting on the envelope indicates it was from a short-wave "Ham' radio operator correspondent and friend of Mr. Weaver. Notes on the envelope indicate the picture was probably taken by the correspondent's father, Clarence Winfield Simonds. The sign on the tree at the left edge of the picture indicates this was the Vance Villa (Rooming House) in a residential part of town. (Vance Villa is listed in the 1914 City Director of Mineral Wells at 811 N. College, which is now NW 5th Avenue.) Note the hoop held by the child on the left, while the boy on the right appears to be holding a unicycle--or, perhaps, an early bicycle whose rear wheel is not visible..

Writing on the side of the negative reads: "Vance Villa, Jan. 10, 1919, Mineral Wells." (The 1914 Mineral Wells City Directory lists Vance Villa at 811 N. College, which is now NW 5th Avenue. Mineral Wells actually did have a school in the 1890's, located at the corner of 5th Avenue and Hubbard Street.) This picture is one of 17 (4"X4") negatives that were found in an envelope from Charles W. Simonds (Route 5, Box 43, Norman, Oklahoma, 73069) and addressed to A.F. Weaver Photography. It is postmarked "Aug. 4, 1975." Some telephone numbers and the remark: "Father - C.W. Simonds (Clarence Winfield)" also appeared on the envelope.

This picture is taken from a series of 17 (4X4) negatives that were enclosed in an envelope from Charles W. Simonds (Route 5, Box 43, Norman, Oklahoma: 73069), postmarked Aug. 4, 1975, and addressed to A.F. Weaver Photography. The photographs were taken January 11, 1919. Also written on the envelope were some telephone numbers and the following: "Father - C.W. Simonds (Clarence Winfield)." The rock building housing the original well was located on Lake Pinto, across West Mountain from the City of Mineral Wells. Mineral water was piped to the Famous drinking pavilion. The Famous Water Company is still [2007] in operation at 215 NW 6th Street, vending "crazy" mineral water, deep-well water, and drinking water filtered by reverse-osmosis.