[The West Ward School]

Exterior of the West Ward School in Mineral Wells, TX.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

Petroleum Products, The Texas Company

This is a picture of truck number D-677, bearing the identification of Texaco Petroleum Products, The Texas Company. A woman sits in the cab of the truck. The truck itself seems to date to about 1912.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[The Mineral Wells High School Marching Band]

The Mineral Wells High School marching band is shown here performing on a football field in the late 1930's. The band director at that time was Mr. Dave Brunswick. See also "Mineral Wells High School Concert Band."
Date: 1939?
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
"Baker Hotel" Menu (open access)

"Baker Hotel" Menu

This photograph illustrates an October 1929 menu from the Stephen F. Austin Hotel, a "Baker Hotel" (located in Austin, Texas), similar to the one that opened in Mineral Wells in 1929 is shown here. The Baker Hotel in Mineral Wells was apparently one of a chain of hotels. This menu serves as a reminder of that fact.
Date: 1929?
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Two Men and a Woman]

This picture shows two unidentified men and a woman, standing near a bosc. The photograph is believed to have been taken during construction of the road up Wynn Mountain east of Palo Pinto (prior to construction of the Bankhead Highway, which was built following passage of "Good Roads Act" in 1916.)
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

A Program for the Coronation of the Queen at MWHS, 1934

The program for the Eighth Annual Mineral Wells High School Coronation of the Queen, held on January 18, 1934.
Date: January 18, 1934
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Poster
System: The Portal to Texas History
The Fiftieth Reunion of the Graduating Class of 1934 (open access)

The Fiftieth Reunion of the Graduating Class of 1934

This picture reproduces a newspaper clipping that reports the fiftieth reunion of the 1934 class from Mineral Wells High School. It was published in the Mineral Wells Index on June 28, 1984.
Date: June 28, 1984
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Clipping
System: The Portal to Texas History

Looking South on Mesquite Street

A street scene, identified as Mesquite Street (now NE 1st Avenue)and looking south, taken at the turn of the twentieth century, shows businesses that antedate the coming of the automobile. On the right, in the middle of the picture, the Yeager Building is shown with a stone lion mounted on its roof. Many historians now refer to this building as the Lion Drug Store. However, current Yeager descendants now living in Mineral Wells do not remember the store as ever being named anything but The Yeager Drug Store. The third building on the left (with the spire on top) was the Star Well whose manager, Frank Richards was an active participant in Mineral Wells' early business and social activities. At the end of the street is Mineral Wells depot built in 1902. Absence of the "Dinky Car" tracks in the middle of the street indicates that the picture was taken prior to the building of the Mineral Wells Lakewood Park Scenic Railway in 1905.
Date: 1902-05?
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

Site of the New Frost Building

Construction of Frost Building in Mineral Wells, Texas. A legend on the bottom reads: "Photograph by McClure." Some of the buildings illustrated here still [2018] survive.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[The Delaware Hotel on fire]

The destruction of the Delaware Hotel in Mineral Wells, Texas is illustrated here. The hotel was located at the corner of N. Oak Avenue and NE 3rd St. It was described at "Brick veneered." It was filled with guests at the time, many of whom narrowly escaped with their lives. the Louisiana House (damaged to the extent of$300, with no insurance), just across the street was described as "Damaged." The fire was fought by horse-drawn fire wagons and a pumper. Trolley rails visible in middle of unpaved street date the picture as being between 1907, when the street car began operations, and 1914 when the street was paved. A partly obliterated legend on the photograph declares that it was taken by "Ellis."
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History
Crazy Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas - America's Great Health Resort (open access)

Crazy Hotel, Mineral Wells, Texas - America's Great Health Resort

This picture shows a pamphlet that was presumably published for the purpose of enticing prospective guests to the Crazy Hotel. The text touts the hotel as being "Fire-proof" (Its predecessor was not), and it extends "Special considerations shown at many hotels only to a favored few." The text is surrounded with pictures of the accommodations, and the various activities available at the hotel. At the very bottom, there is an advertisement for Crazy Crystals. The text ends with a notice of where to inquire about rates. If the dress of the ladies pictured is any guide, the pamphlet dates to the era of the 1920's.
Date: unknown
Creator: the Crazy Hotel
Object Type: Text
System: The Portal to Texas History

Come to Mineral Wells

Shown here is a pamphlet from the Chamber of Commerce, describing the healthful benefits of a visit to Mineral Wells, Texas.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Poster
System: The Portal to Texas History

[A Vacant lot in downtown Mineral Wells]

A vacant lot in downtown Mineral Wells, Texas, next to the Central Christian Church, located on NW 1st Street is shown here. Advertisements of products, and coming movie attractions, are displayed on a large bill board, and on an adjoining house. The lot is messy, and a note indicates that it is to be part of a beautification project. The clean-up referred to in the accompanying note was probably more than a general "Spring Cleaning" campaign for the city of Mineral Wells. It was probably part of the "Wylie Park" beautification project. Smoke rising from stove pipes belonging to nearby businesses indicate cool weather.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Ladies With Parasols]

"Sllew La Renim" (a social club) was "Mineral Wells" spelled backwards. Its members pose in front of the Old Post Office in 1913. Identified in the photograph are: Anna Mae Guinn, Ernestine Pollard, May Belle Smith, Ann Locke Galbraith, Ruby Andrews, Mattie Withers. Note the Mineral Wells Sanitarium in the left background. This photograph may be found on page 118 of "TIME WAS...", First Edition by A.F. Weaver.
Date: 1913
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

The Oxford Hotel

The Hubbard Street Trolley car is shown at Oak Avenue and Hubbard Streets on its way west to Pinto Lake, next to the Oxford Hotel. The First State Bank and Trust was located in the northwest (near) corner of the hotel.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

Oak Street, Looking North

An early view of Oak Street (now Oak Avenue), looking North is shown here. The first intersecting road is Hubbard Street. Part of the Oxford Hotel is visible on the southeast corner of Hubbard and Oak. Please note the utter lack of street lights. Street car tracks and an overhead cable run on Oak. Mineral Wells Electric System (Street Car) ceased operation in 1913. The downtown streets were paved in 1914. A hardware store, possibly Davidson's, is on the southwest corner of Hubbard and Oak.
Date: 1910/1914
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[A Portrait Presentation at KORC]

Mrs. Jess (Ruby) Shattles presents a photographic picture of Achilles Corcanges, founder and owner of radio station KORC in Mineral Wells to the same Mr. Corcanges. Mrs. Shattles owned and operated Pavilion Studio at 412 N. Oak Avenue. The picture was taken about 1946, when station KORC opened. The unidentified gentleman, with his back to the photographer,on the left is believed to be Mr. Shattles.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[The Mineral Wells Golf Country Club and Lake]

Copy photograph of the Mineral Wells Golf Country Club building, taken from across a lake. The building is a large, two-story building with wrap-around balconies on both floors. Men wearing golf attire are standing on the bank and on the stairs leading down to the water. Near the right side of the image, someone is fishing and several people are seated on a floating dock.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

KORC 1140 On Your Dial

A picture of a KORC-KBS Microphone--"1140 on your dial" is shown here. Mineral Wells' radio history dates back to the 1930's when Mr. Hal Collins, owner of the Crazy Hotel, began sponsoring broadcasts originating in the hotel lobby. The radio station was founded and owned by Mr. Achilles Corcanges, and aired its first broadcast on December 5, 1946. Radio station KMWT-FM began broadcasting from Mineral Wells in 1970. The broadcasts were aired nationwide, at noon daily, over the Texas Quality Network. It advertised Crazy Water Crystals. Both stations' call letters were changed in 1983 to KJAS-AM and KYXS-FM. Many show business luminaries appeared on the shows. For instance, Mary Martin of Weatherford began her singing/acting career here.
Date: 1946
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Artwork
System: The Portal to Texas History

[A Tamale Vendor on Oak and Hubbard]

Fred Estrada "The Mineral Wells Hot Tamale Man" sold "The Best Tamales Anywhere", is shown here. He purveyed them at 75 cents a dozen, at the corner of Hubbard Street and Oak Avenue for many years. Automobiles, dating from the early-to-mid-twentieth century, and a U.S. Mailbox, may also be seen in the picture. The picture occurs on page 182 of "TIME WAS...", second edition.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[A Trolley Car of the] Mineral Wells Electric System

This picture shows the Mineral Wells Electric System Trolley Car Number 23. The Mineral Wells Electric System operated from 1902 (?) to 1913. The picture appears to have been taken in the 1400 block of W. Hubbard Street, where the street car unloaded passengers for a short hike north to Lake Pinto. The street car reversed here, and traveled across town to Elmwood Cemetery--around NE 17th Avenue. The trolley system was the brainchild of a Major Beardsley (who was not only not a Texan, but fought for the Union side in the Civil War), who apparently planned an interurban line. A proposed line, which would have gone from Mineral Wells, to Millsap, to Peaster, to Weatherford and thence to Fort Worth was actually begun, but it ended mysteriously. The Weatherford papers report that enthusiasm for such an interurban was still great in 1912 but investment money was lacking. The Panic of 1907 (never mentioned by the papers) may have a contributing factor in the drama. In any event, the advent of the motorcar would have been a serious challenge to any interurban trolley line.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History

[The Lynch Cabins]

A drawing of the Lynch cabins, done by Jarmon Alvis Lynch, grandson of James Alvis Lynch. The drawing says "Alvis Lynch 77" in the bottom right-hand corner. The picture was apparently done from memory. The original mineral water discovery well is in the right foreground, with a windlass for drawing water. "Judge" Lynch and his family did not arrive in Millsap Valley until Christmas 1879. Note the tents in the right background. H. M. Berry, Mineral Wells' first teacher, noted in an article that when the reputation for the curative powers of the water spread, the area looked like "an army on the move" with health-seekers temporarily camping in tents until housing could be built for them.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Artwork
System: The Portal to Texas History

[Souvenir Views of Mineral Wells, Texas]

A pamphlet, shaped like a water bottle, with illustrations of the Mineral Wells area. Some pictures include unidentified visitors to the area that are enjoying the outdoor natural beauty. The statement "Patent and Trademark applied for by the Yeager Drug Company" is located on the lower left-hand portion of the photograph.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Artwork
System: The Portal to Texas History

[A Parade of Automobiles]

A parade of decorated automobiles is shown crossing the intersection at North Oak and NE 2nd Streets,as seen from the west. A sign for Lovera Cigars is visible on the front of the Crazy Drug Company (the gray building at right middle of the picture.) The large white building in the left center back-ground is the Presbyterian Church.
Date: unknown
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Photograph
System: The Portal to Texas History