This information is printed on the back of photograph: "Taken from the North Oak and N. E. 3rd. Street looking North May 28, 1975 by A.F. Weaver." Businesses that are visible in the photograph are, in order: The Crazy Water Hotel, Community Aerial Cable Company, Bennett's Office Supply and The Grand Theater.

First page of the minutes of the Mineral Wells Bicentennial Committee, held in the old Nazareth Hospital in 1975. It includes a list of attendees and a summary of some of the discussion points.

Bill Cameron stands before the old "Index" Building--on Northwest First Avenue (across from the Crazy Water Building).

Photograph of a group of firefighters posing in front of a firetruck. Shown in the top row are: Rene James, Weldon Hood, Jerry Kidwell, Walter Carter, Jerry Loftis. In the middle row: Eddie Bell, Eldred Fryer, Horace Roe, Bud Smith, Joe Knight, Kenneth Kinder. In the front row: B.H. "Tiny" Gilstrap, Eddie Fryer, Melton Brewton (Chief), Jerry Van Natta, Allen Fryer, Rickey Epperson, Larry Clutts, Louis Clutts, Butch Clutts, Gene Knerr, Davis Light, John Gilbert, Byron Kizziah, Bazil Wright, R.S. Purcell, W.G. Mullins, Sam Smith, Arthur Schulte, Cecil Holifield. Information for these names was taken from the back of photograph.

Here is a view of the Damron Hotel (formerly located at 109 W. Hubbard Street)during the early stages of the fire (on December 22, 1975) that completely destroyed it. It was a popular hotel during the heyday of Mineral Wells--through the "Roaring Twenties", the Great Depression and World War II.

The Damron Hotel was built as the Colonial Hotel in 1906 during the heyday of Mineral Wells as a popular resort city. It burned completely on December 22, 1975. This picture shows the front entrance under a dark plume of black smoke, with flames breaking through the upper floors of the front wall. Two people (one with a hard hat, and one without)stand observing the proceedings.

The Damron Hotel, built as the Colonial Hotel in 1906 during the days that Mineral Wells was a popular resort, burned completely on December 22, 1975. Shown here is another view of the front entrance to the hotel as flames burst through the front wall of the building. The gesturing individual with the hard hat has not been identified.

Shown here is another view of the plume of thick black smoke at the height of the fire that completely destroyed the Damron Hotel December 22, 1975, along with two hard-hatted individuals (presumably fire-fighters) standing in the street. It was a very popular hotel during the mineral water industry's heyday through the "Roaring Twenties", Great Depression and World War II. By the time of the fire, however, an informant remarked--verbally--that no respectable lady permitted herself to be found within a block of the hotel. Sic transit, it would appear, gloria mundi.

This picture illustrates the photograph of the huge column of black smoke accompanying the Damron Hotel fire that completely destroyed the hotel on December 22, 1975 in Mineral Wells. It is viewed from a narrow street or alleyway that has buildings lining either side; a Chevrolet truck is parked on the right side of the image.

The Damron Hotel, built in 1906 during the days that Mineral Wells was a popular resort spa, burned completely on December 22, 1975. It was located at 109 W. Hubbard Street. This picture shows the dense cloud of smoke that resulted from the holiday catastrophe. Westbound traffic on .S. Highway 180 had to be re-routed in order to avoid the clutter of debris that littered the street.

Another view of the front entrance to the Damron Hotel at 109 W. Hubbard during the earlier stages of the fire that completely destroyed it on December 22, 1975. Debris from the burning hotel wafted as far as seven blocks from the burning building. No major injuries were reported. The spectacular Holiday fire that destroyed the hotel received extensive photographic coverage.

Shown here is another picture in the series of photographs of the fire that destroyed the Damron Hotel during the holiday season of 1975. This smoke-shrouded scene of W. Hubbard, shows the front entrance to the hotel in the earlier stages of the fire's progress. The Damron was built in 1906, during the days that Mineral Wells was a popular resort spa. It burned completely on December 22,1975. The hotel's name was changed in 1917 when Mr. Holt (who had built the hotel) traded it to Agnew and Bessie Damron. It was a very popular hotel through the "Roaring Twenties", the Great Depression and World War II.

Another in the extensive series of photographs that covered the spectacular holiday fire that completely consumed the Damron Hotel during the 1975 Christmas season is shown here. This picture shows some of the early response to the fire. Note, for example, the electrical utility truck, which has arrived to cut off electrical power to the buildings. The Damron Hotel (which was built during the days when Mineral Wells was a resort) was originally named the Colonial Hotel. It was located at 109 W. Hubbard. The spectacular fire received extensive photographic coverage. The sign "Pemberton Appliance and Plumbing", located across the street west, is visible. Pemberton's also suffered damage in the fire, but by 7:30 the next day, workmen were installing plate glass in it.

This photograph shows another view of the early response to the holiday conflagration that consumed the Damron Hotel on December 22, 1975. The Damron was built in 1906, during Mineral Wells' heyday as a popular resort city. Originally named the Colonial Hotel by J. T. Holt, and built for his second wife, the name of the hotel was changed in 1917 when Mr. Holt traded the hotel to Agnew and Bessie Damron. The hotel was located at 109 W. Hubbard, and the spectacular fire received extensive photographic coverage.

This view of the spectacular holiday [Christmas] fire that consumed the Damron Hotel completely on December 22, 1975, was taken from SW 1st Street at the southwest corner of the block in the early stages of the fire. The Damron Hotel was built as the Colonial Hotel in 1906 by J. T. Holt for his second wife. She adamantly refused to live in the country. The name was changed in 1917 when it was traded to Agnew and Bessie Damron. It was located at 109 W. Hubbard. The fire received extensive photographic coverage.

This is yet another view of the spectacular fire that consumed the Damron Hotel during the 1975 Christmas Season. The Damron was originally built as the Colonial Hotel in 1906 by rancher J.T. Holt for his second wife. The name was changed in 1917 when the hotel was traded to Agnew and Bessie Damron. The fire was covered extensively by free-lance photographers. The hotel was formerly located on at 109 W. Hubbard Street, on the corner of the block that included SW 1st Avenue and SW 1st Street. Spot fires began on many nearby buildings, but they were extinguished quickly by volunteers atop those same buildings. This picture was taken during the later stages of the fire, and shows the gutted rear of the hotel, with huge flames still burning in the front portion of the building.

The Damron Hotel was destroyed (on December 22, 1975) in a spectacular fire that received extensive photographic coverage. The hotel was located at 109 W. Hubbard. This is another picture of that immense conflagration. All the firemen answered a call that came in at 9:08 on the morning of the fire. The City of Weatherford also sent men and equipment over to help. Volunteers who were not themselves firemen also helped. Other buildings that suffered damage were Pemberton's (an appliance store across the street and west of the hotel), and the hardware store (Bought by Bob Sturtivant) next to the hotel. Note the height of the flames in this picture taken in the later stages of the fire.

The Damron Hotel was built in 1906 as the Colonial Hotel by J. T. Holt. At one time, both Kiwanis and the Rotary service Clubs met in the dining room that was located on the west side of the main floor. Formerly located at 109 W. Hubbard Street, the hotel burned completely on December 22, 1975 in a spectacular fire that was extensively photographed. Shown here is one of many views of the fire.

The Damron Hotel (very popular in the resort city of Mineral Wells through the periods of the "Roaring Twenties", The Great Depression and World War II) was originally built as The Colonial Hotel in 1906 by J.T. Holt. Mr. Holt also owned a hardware store at the back of the hotel facing S. Oak Avenue, and a one-room buggy showroom between the hardware store and the hotel. The hotel was traded to Agnew and Bessie Damron around 1917 , and the name was changed to reflect the new ownership. Mr. Holt sold the hardware store to his manager, John Davidson. The Damron Hotel and Davidson Hardware burned completely on December 22, 1975. This picture of the fire was taken looking east on Hubbard Street. The Baker Hotel in the left middle of the photograph is to the north of most of the smoke.

The Colonial Hotel was built in 1906 by Mr. J. T. Holt for his second wife. Mr. Holt also owned a hardware store on S. Oak at the back of the hotel. The name of the hotel was changed to The Damron Hotel around 1917 when Mr. Holt traded it to Agnew and Bessie Damron. A hardware store, hard by, was sold to Mr. Holt's manager, John Davidson. The Damron Hotel, located at 109 W. Hubbbard Street, along with Davidson Hardware, burned completely on December 22, 1975. Please note the Christmas decoration, symbol of the season, on the telephone pole above the fire truck. The main entrance to the hotel is faintly visible through the dense smoke to the rear of the fire truck. The Crazy Hotel can be seen at the lower left edge of the picture.

A sewing-thread display case, bearing the Corlicelli brand name, inside the Poston Dry Goods store (located at 107 N. Oak Avenue, Mineral Wells, Texas). Poston's was the largest dry goods store in town after the Howard Brothers Department Stores discontinued operations. Many of the display cases in Poston's (perhaps this was one of them) had come from the earlier Howard Brothers' store.

Will Poston stands in front of his store, Poston Dry Goods (located at 107 N. Oak Avenue). Poston's was the largest department store in Mineral Wells after the Howard Brothers Department Stores discontinued operations. Many of the glass show cases in Poston's came from the earlier Howard Brothers store. These cases are on display in the store. The store itself is now the Mineral Wells branch of the Palo Pinto County courthouse.

The Royal Society embroidery and tatting thread display case with its owner, Will Poston standing next to it, is shown in the photograph. Poston Dry Goods stood at 107 N. Oak Avenue, in Mineral Wells, Texas.

Will Poston stands in the sewing department of his store, Poston Dry Goods (located at 107 N. Oak Avenue). The display case is open to show the different types and colors of sewing thread in stock. Colored threads were separated from white for easier selection, and both were available in various brands, spooled quantities and thread sizes.