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[Basketball at Elmhurst Park]
A note on the back of the photograph identifies this venue as Elmhurst Park. The park was located on Pollard Creek, some one-and-a-half miles from the southwest corner of Oak and Hubbard Streets; and was owned by The Mineral Wells Electric System, which operated a trolley that ran from downtown to the park. (The street car company went bankrupt in 1913, and both the park and trolley ceased operations that year.) The picture appears to be a tip-off to begin a period of play in a men's basketball game. Both men's and women's basketball games were held at the park when it was in operation (from 1907 to 1913).
[Bathing Beauties]
Three young women lounge at the "Old" Mineral Wells City Pool. The woman on the right was Jill Hickey, Mineral Wells High School graduate of 1966, later Jill Hickey Moore of Stafford, Texas. This photograph, judging by the women's hair-do's, appears to have been taken in the 1960's.
[Bill Cameron]
"Bill Cameron at his desk in the [old] Mineral Wells Index." The newspaper office was located at 207 NW 1st Avenue.
[The Birch McClendon Food Store]
The only information about this picture comes from a legend on the back of it: Mrs. Vernon Hill father & n of [sic] Chester Claywell Mr. Lord. grocery [illegible] Specialty Shop [written vertically] DW Griffith It is featured in "Time was in Mineral Wells" on page 128 as "Birch McClendon Food Store, located at 211 Southeast 1st Street." The pointed light-bulb (and the collar of the clerk) suggests that it was photographed at the turn of the twentieth century.
[A Boy and a Girl in Fancy Dress]
This photograph shows a pre-pubescent boy in formal attire standing by a girl with a dress that has furbelows, with the train drawn in front of her, and wearing a fleury crown (of cardboard?). She carries a nosegay. He has a boutonniere. An inscription on the back of the picture reads: "Patsy Baughn I think Geo. Kossteson [?]" The boy has been identified as George Kesterson III, who was born in Mineral Wells on September 23, 1923 and died in Tarrant County, Texas on the 25th of January, 1990. He married Mary Sue Wilson in Nolan, Texas in 1987. She died in 1994. He is buried in Fort Worth. The girl has been identified as Patsy Ann Baughn, who was born in Mineral Wells on October 1, 1924; she married Dowey E. Bratcher on June 17, 1969 in Parker County, Texas; nothing is known [in 2016] about a spouse named "Harrell." She died in Arlington, Texas the 23rd of January, 2006. Further information in reference to the occasion that prompted this photograph is presently [2016] wanting.
[A Brazos River Scene]
This 1925 photograph shows individuals, in clothing of the period, at the Brazos River. It appears to be a holiday outing. Some of the people sitting and standing are in full dress, and not wearing swim suits. The flat and sandy shore is reminiscent of the Village Bend area of the Brazos River in the vicinity of Oaks Crossing (the early Brazos ford on the main road from Palo Pinto to Weatherford) some 6 miles southeast of Palo Pinto. The opposite shoreline in the photograph is rocky, with heavy vegetation and high banks. The photograph comes from a Knights of Pythias Album.
[The Brick Highway Between Mineral Wells and Weatherford]
The 1936 ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the new brick highway between Weatherford and Mineral Wells, now U.S. Highway 180, is depicted here. This photograph was taken just seconds before the photograph found on page 97 of A. F. Weaver's book, "TIME WAS..." 2nd edition. Some of the dignitaries in the photograph are Allen Wallace, W.A. Ross, Pat Corrigan and Paul Woods. The new highway to Weatherford began at the 900 block of East Hubbard, and the bricks to fashion the highway were hand-laid by two strong Negro men.
[The Brick Road East of Mineral Wells]
The brick highway (emphatically not yellow brick!) east of Mineral Wells (the Bankhead Highway) was the nation's first transcontinental highway, beginning at milepost 0 on the steps of the Capitol in Washington, D.C. and ending at San Diego, California. Bricks for it in this area were made in Thurber, Texas (on the Palo Pinto/Erath county line). All bricks were laid by two (some say one) black masons. Bricks made in Thurber were also used to build the seawall at Galveston after the disastrous hurricane of 1900, to pave the streets of Fort Worth, and even Congress Avenue in Austin, Texas.
[A Buffet Table]
A buffet table, presumably in the Baker Hotel, is shown ready for guests (who are absent) to use it. Its opulence would reflect the quality of the hotel. The fact that the photograph is in color suggests that it was taken in the late twentieth century. The exact location of this buffet table is [2014] unknown. An ice sculpture of a sleigh and reindeer suggests a Christmas occasion. Further details are lacking.
[A Building at the 500 Block of SW 4th Avenue]
This house, now [2009] located at 510 SW 4th Avenue at the corner of SW 4th Avenue and 5th Street, was a part of the original Mineral Wells College. The large structure was built in 1891 at 101 NW 5th Street. The front half of it was moved to its current location, and turned into a residence around 1902. The intersecting gables (and the hip roof) mark it as Queen Anne, but it may have undergone remodeling since it was built. Please note the two-story wraparound porch, which is rare in all parts of the nation, except for the south. This photograph may be found on page 170 of "Time Was..." by A.F. Weaver. [For more details about the College of Mineral Wells, please see the picture "Mineral Wells School, Texas."]
[A Building Being Demolished]
This building, once the second Post Office, had stood at the corner of 201 SE 1st Avenue and Hubbard Street. This building (as the photograph shows) was subsequently demolished. A Piggly Wiggly grocery store was located on its site. As of March 2, 2009, the place was occupied by the Dollar General Store. This picture may be found in A.F. Weaver's "Time Once was in Mineral Wells" on page 149
[The Building of the Baker Hotel]
Construction of the Baker HOTEL. [sic], which opened on November 22nd,1929 It was the work of Wyatt C. Hendricks, and Company, Architects. The building cost $1.2 million dollars to construct, of which Mineral Wells residents raised $150,000 towards it. It was built on the site of the land that once had held both the Lamar and Star Wells. A legend on the back of the photograph states: "Unknown man looks on. Photograph taken approximately from site of Methodist church, looking towards the southwest." Those interested in more details are referred to Guy Fowler's book, "Crazy Water", or William Gross Jr.'s "Mineral Wells History--A Sampler."
[A Cabin on the East Mountain Stairs]
Shown here is a photographer's cabin about halfway up East Mountain. A staircase of (reportedly) 1,000 stairs ascend the "Mountain" from Oak Avenue. A cabin was built about halfway up these stairs (visible in the lower right corner of the picture) to provide tourists with photographic souvenir opportunities. This photograph comes from the Knights of Pythias 1925 album.
[Camp Wolters Headquarters; Polio Association]
The caption page is, unfortunately, partially destroyed] Headqu[......](lacuna)[..]lters Camp Wolters, Texas--Major General [............](lacuna), Command[..] (lacuna) Infantry Replacement Center at Camp Wolters, pres.(lacuna) for [deletion] $453 to Irl Prerston, treasurer of the Palo Pinto Co(lacuna) Infantile Paralysis Association, as Capt. Harry P. Sheldon, (lacuna) of the Camp Wolters Officers Mess & William P. Cameron, Pa(lacuna) Infantile Paralysis Association chairman, look on. The c(lacuna) the contribution of Camp Wolters officers to the infantile para[.](lacuna) as the result of a [deletion] President's Birthday Ball held (lacuna) at the officers [sic] mess. The sum [deletion] complements $281 raised by citizens of Mineral Wells at the President's Ball in the city. [signed] Sidney Miller
[The Chautauqua Hall]
This picture shows a side view of the Chautauqua Hall, once located on the side of Welcome Mountain, where the Jaycee Youth Center is now [2010] located (behind the Grand Theater.) It was taken, perhaps,in late spring or early summer--possibly in the morning. The photograph is featured in "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells..." on page 50. The building departed existence in 1912, after only about seven years of service. The Chautauqua movement began in 1874 in an eponymous town in New York (it is still there). It was conceived as a form of adult education, which featured a set of touring lectures. Before the advent of moving pictures and the radio, Chautauqua was immensely popular. For example, William Jennings Bryan (he of the famous "Cross of Gold" speech)--and other people--gave various lectures and orations at this Chautauqua hall. H.L. Mencken ("Prejudices:First Series", published in 1919) speaks disparagingly of "...oafish, witless buffoonishness [sic] of the chautauquas [sic] and the floor of Congress...." Mr. Mencken, though, had a reputation for disparaging everything (that was American) in his sight. This remark seems to be his only direct comment on the movement. He makes reference to Chautauqua only tangentially otherwise. One might surmise, therefore, that television (which supplanted Chautauqua) followed a parallel route in its later years.
[The Clark Residence on N W 4th Ave.]
The W. V. Clark residence on NW 4th Avenue (which was originally called Pecan Street) is shown here. This photograph was taken in June of 1974. A photograph on page 139 of "TIME WAS..." by A. F. Weaver shows the house to better advantage before foliage of the trees obscured part of it. It is presently [2016] in sad condition, and in need of remodeling.
[Col. and Mrs. W. Riess (W. R.) Austin]
Colonel and Mrs. W. Riess (W. R.) Austin are depicted here, from an image taken from a 1902 photograph. Colonel Austin is mentioned on page 54 of "Time Was..." second edition. A. F. Weaver says, "...the Austin Well, established by Col. W. R. Austin, who came from Kentucky to Palo Pinto County about 1880. Austin settled on Staggs Prairie, where he farmed and ranched. Then he became interested in mineral waters when he had an eye infection that affected his sight. So he moved to Mineral Wells, and the constant use of the waters restored his sight. He engaged in the dairy business, at first; but later entered the mineral water production field, establishing the Austin Well, which was later operated by his son-in-law, Tom Sims."
[Construction of Oxford Hotel]
Pictured here is the construction of the foundation of the Oxford Hotel (including the First State Bank & Trust Company) in 1906. The hotel was located at Oak and Hubbard Streets. H. N. Frost, father of Cleo T. Bowman and grandfather of Frost Bowman, built the Oxford and founded the bank, which was located on the west side of the building. Some few of the buildings pictured are still [2014] standing. The hotel was owned by the estate until the late 1920's. The Oxford Hotel met its doom by fire in later years. This photograph is featured in "Time was in Mineral Wells" on page 147.
[Construction of the Malsby Dairy]
Construction of the Malsby Dairy is shown here, going on apace. Steel girders are being put in place, presumably to support a future roof. It was located at 300 SE 1st Street. Construction began (it is conjectured) in the late 1940's. The building once housed a newspaper (in the 1960's) called "The Advance", and then the "Mineral Wells Index." The "Index" still [2007] occupies the building. Please note that only half of the men in the picture are shown wearing hard hats. Please note also the derrick mounted on the back of a truck. A hand-written legend on the photograph reads: "Malsby Creamery"
[The Convention Hall and its Surroundings]
Shown here is the back side of the convention hall. The picture antedates its demolition. The surrounding buildings have not yet [2014] been identified.
[The Convention Hall and Its Surroundings]
This picture shows the quondam Convention Hall in it glory days after its erection in 1925, and before its demolition in 1976. A house in the (possibly)the Colonial Revival style is visible. Another large house on a hill appears to be in the Neoclassical style.
[The Crazy Hotel in Winter]
The Crazy Water Hotel is shown once again. It appears that the season this photograph was taken is winter, as snow may be seen on the ground. The truck in the photograph appears to be of a type common before 1939. Mineral Wells was a very popular convention city, and the bunting-draped section of the hotel in the foreground probably indicates preparation for a coming convention.
[The Crazy Water Crystals Plant]
One step in the conversion of Mineral Wells' "Crazy Water" into Crazy Water Crystals was to boil mineral water in open vats, in three different stages, until only the minerals were left. One worker is visible, monitoring the open vats. The crystals were then filtered out and dried, packaged and sold nationwide. The customer simply added water to the crystals to obtain one of America's early "instant" products: Mineral Wells' health-giving mineral water. The photograph was taken around 1930.
[A Crowd at a Speech]
A crowd (the picture dates to approximately 1910) appears to be attending the awarding of prizes for an athletic event--probably a track meet, judging by companion photographs. The location of the photograph is at Elmhurst Park, an amusement park in the early 1900's on Pollard Creek about two miles southwest of Mineral Wells.
[The D. M. Howard Store]
A photograph taken during the construction of the D. M. Howard Store, located at 101 SE 1st Avenue. D. M. Howard was the first of five brothers to arrive in Mineral Wells. He built the first large department store(s) here. This was the first in a complex of Howard Brothers stores, and later housed the J. M. Belcher Furniture Store and its successor, R. & W. Furniture. Howard himself departed this life in 1910. The building was torn down in 1975.
[The Dam/causeway]
This picture shows the dam that formed Mineral Wells' first municipal water reservoir. This dam is probably the one that Thelma Doss refers to on page 51 of A.F. Weaver's "Time Was in Mineral Wells." Its erection was credited to banker Cicero Smith in that article. Located southeast of the Cullen Grimes School, it is in the G. P. Barber Addition. The lake was actually built by George P Barber, and the water impounded behind it is known locally as Barber Lake. The lake served to supply water for Mineral Wells until banker Cicero Smith and Ed Dismuke (owner of Famous Water Company) built a dam on Pollard Creek, west of the city, to form Mineral Wells' second municipal water supply, Lake Pinto. The original photograph is one of 17 (4 X 4) negatives that were discovered 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. Some telephone numbers were visible on the envelope, as was the remark: "Father - C.W. Simonds (Clarence Winfield)."
[The Damron Hotel Fire, 13 of 21: Christmas Decorations on Light Poles]
The Damron Hotel (which was built in 1906 during the days that Mineral Wells was a popular resort city) burned completely on December 22, 1975. It was located at 109 W. Hubbard Street. By 11:30 (some two hours after the fire started), the Davidson Hardware company, next door, was engulfed in flames. George's Man's Shop and Hill's style Shop were also damaged.
[The Damron Hotel Fire, 14 of 21: Drifting Smoke From the Fire]
The Damron Hotel, which was built during the days that Mineral Wells was a popular resort city, burned completely on December 22, 1975. It was located 109 W. Hubbard Street. This photograph was taken from about a block away from the scene, and shows the dense cloud of smoke that resulted from the fire. The hotel was built in 1906 by rancher J. T. Holt [who was born in 1841, and who died in 1919] (A business leader in Mineral Wells, who was partner with a Mr. Shirley [who was born in 1869, and who died in 1934]. They opened, in 1907, a general store in Graford, which they ran as a branch of a store already in Mineral Wells) for his second wife because she insisted that she would not live in the country. Originally named the Colonial Hotel, the name was changed in 1917 when Mr. Holt traded it to Agnew and Bessie Damron for a ranch. In its heyday, both the Kiwanis and the Rotary Service Clubs once met in its dining room.
[The Demolition of the Convention Hall, 5 of 5]
The Convention Hall met its end in 1979--after forty-five years of use. The exact location of this photograph in relation to the interior of the convention hall remains unknown. The picture shows two Roman arches, which must have been stress-relieving as well as serving as portals of access to various parts of the basement. The ends of two girders, which must have helped support the floor above them, are clearly visible above the nearer arch.
[The Demolition of the Convention Hall: Interior, 3 of 5]
Shown here is a picture of an advanced state of the demolition of the convention hall. The remains of the main floor in the background sag forlornly under a load of rubble.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 1 of 11: Wood Pile and Building]
The third building of the First Baptist Church was built in 1920; it was used until 1967, at which time it was demolished for the current building. The First Baptist church was originally located in a frame building on the southwest corner of the Crazy block in 1883. A second church was built at the corner of SW 4th Avenue and West Hubbard Street, facing SW 4th Avenue. It was a frame building with two steeples. A brick church, facing Hubbard Street, was erected to accommodate the congregation in 1920. These photographs illustrate the demolition of this building. The present church was erected in 1967 at the corner of SW 4th Avenue and SW 1st Street.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 2 of 11: Another Angle]
The first house of worship of the congregation of First Baptist Church, located in the southwest corner of the Crazy Well block, was purchased in 1883 and was used until 1900. The First Baptist Church was re-located to the corner of W. Hubbard and Pecan Street (now SE 4th Avenue) in 1900, and used until 1967.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 3 of 11: East View]
The second home of the congregation of the First Baptist Church was built in 1920. It was used until 1967, when it was demolished. The current First Baptist Church is the third one built in the same location. Please see Number 1 of this collection for details.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 4 of 11: The Beginning]
The second home of the congregation of the First Baptist Church was built in 1920. It was used until 1967, at which time it was demolished. The current First Baptist Church building was built in the same location. Please see Number 1 in this series for details.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 6 0f 11: Frame ]
The second home of the congregation of the First Baptist Church was built in 1920; and used until 1967, at which time it was demolished. The current First Baptist Church is the third one built in the same location. Please see photograph number 1 for details.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 9 of 11: Workers]
Workers are shown helping to demolish the First Baptist Church building in 1967. It was built in 1920. The current building is the third First Baptist Church built on this site. Please see photograph number 1 for details.
[A Discus Throw at Elmhurst Park]
This photograph appears to be of a discus-throwing competition at Elmhurst Park. ("Elmhurst Park" is written on the back of the photograph.) A gentleman on the right, leaning on the fence, appears to be holding a tape measure. Please note the spectators on the roof of the building in the background.
[Downtown Park]
This photograph shows one of several city parks maintained by the ladies of Mineral Wells. Some pictures identify one or the other of these parks as "Wylie Park." It may be that the separate parks on vacant lots throughout the town were all part of a civic "Wylie Park" program. The Cannas here are quite tall. Brick work edging of the flower beds kept the grass from invading the garden.
[Dr. J.H. McCracken Home, 1 of 3: Little Rock School and Fannin School]
The Dr. J.H. McCracken home was built in 1904 at 516 W. Hubbard Street, and was restored by Gil Hull. Joseph Hill McCracken was born on a farm near Springtown, Texas, October 1, 1867. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School in 1891, and returned to Texas. On October 15, 1895, he married Marie Sue Wilson, the daughter of Oliver Loving's youngest daughter, Margaret. He was elected President of the Texas Medical Association in 1911, and practiced medicine in Mineral Wells for over fifty years. He frequently laughed about having "delivered babies of babies of babies." Dr. McCracken died in March of 1954, and his wife died in November of 1955. Both are buried in Mineral Wells' Woodland Park Cemetery. Professor John N, McCracken, who established the Mineral Wells College directly across the street west of the McCracken home, is believed to be Dr. McCracken's father. [For details of the Mineral Wells College, please see the picture "Mineral Wells School,Texas"] The "Old High School" and the "Little Rock School" (left side of the picture) are visible in the background.
[Dr. J.H. McCracken Home, 2 of 3]
The Dr. J.H. McCracken home built in 1904 at 516 West Hubbard Street. It was restored by Gil Hull. Joseph Hill McCracken was born on a farm near Springtown, Texas, October 1, 1867. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School in 1891, and returned to Texas. On October 15, 1895, he married Marie Sue Wilson, the daughter of Oliver Loving's youngest daughter, Margaret. He was elected President of the Texas Medical Association in 1911, and practiced medicine in Mineral Wells for over fifty years. He frequently laughed about having "delivered babies of babies of babies." Dr. McCracken died in March of 1954, and his wife died in November of 1955. Both are buried in Mineral Wells' Woodland Park Cemetery. Professor John N, McCracken, who established the Mineral Wells College directly across the street west of the McCracken home, is believed to be Dr. McCracken's father. It is presently [2016] the offices of Brown and Ford, attorneys-at-law. [For details of the Mineral Wells College, please see the picture "Mineral Wells School, Texas."]
[Dr. J.H. McCracken Home, 3 of 3: Different View]
The Dr. J.H. McCracken home, built in 1904 at 516 West Hubbard, and restored by Gil Hull. Joseph Hill McCracken was born on a farm near Springtown, Texas, October 1, 1867. He graduated from the University of Tennessee Medical School in 1891, and returned to Texas. He married Marie Sue Wilson, the daughter of Oliver Loving's youngest daughter, Margaret on October 15, 1895. He was elected President of the Texas Medical Association in 1911 and practiced medicine in Mineral Wells for over fifty years. He frequently laughed about having "delivered babies of babies of babies." Dr. McCracken died in March of 1954, and his wife died in November of 1955. Both are buried in Mineral Wells' Woodland Park Cemetery. Professor John N. McCracken, who established the Mineral Wells College directly across the street west of the McCracken home, is believed to be Dr. McCracken's father. [For details of the Mineral Wells College, please see the picture "Mineral Wells School, Texas"]
[An Early Couple]
This picture is probably a photographic portrait of Col. and Mrs. W.R. Austin, mentioned on page 54 of "Time Was in Mineral Wells..." second edition. He established the Austin Well where "Blind Nellie" was employed. See also, [Col. and Mrs. W. Riess Austin]
[Early Downtown Mineral Wells]
This early view of the west side of Mesquite Street (In 2008: Northeast 1st Avenue) was from a vantage near the "old Post Office", looking south toward the depot. (This is a cropped version of the picture that appears on page 44 of "TIME WAS ...." by A.F. Weaver). The building on the right with the arched windows was M. H. Coleman's Clothing and Shoes for gentlemen at 205 Northeast First Avenue. The light sandstone building on the right is the Yeager Building. The Lion Drug Store was located in it, as indicated by the lion figure on top of the building. Please observe the unpaved street, the lack of automobiles, and the shallow ruts formed in it.
[An Early Oil Field]
An early oil field, probably in Palo Pinto County, is shown here. The photograph, perhaps a composite of several smaller ones, as originally in the possession of M. A. Howell, who was once the county surveyor.
[An Early Parade on N. Oak Avenue]
A parade on North Oak Avenue around the turn of the twentieth century is shown here. The Hexagon Hotel (at the right center of the picture) was built in 1897,which makes a terminus a quo for the picture. A street car ran down the middle of the street from 1907 to 1913 (no tracks are visible here). Please observe the condition of the street. It was not paved until 1914. The Vichy Well drinking pavilion (later known as the Standard Well) is visible on the right skyline. This pavilion was torn down for the USO at the beginning of World War II. The large two-story building at the left middle of the picture was the Carlsbad Hotel.
[An Early Photograph of Mineral Wells on a Bottle]
This picture illustrates an early Mineral Wells photograph on a bottle-shaped brochure. It was taken from Welcome Mountain, and attached to the bottle. Identifiable in the picture is Poston's Dry Goods building near the bottom middle of the picture,the Catholic church at the top left of the picture, and the rear of Dr. A. W. Thompson's residence in the near middle of the picture.
[The East Ward School]
This photograph, taken around 1909, shows the East Ward School. Built in 1906, and located at 400 NE 9th Avenue, this served as Mineral Wells' first High School as well as an elementary school. It was closed in 1930, and Murphy and Murphy Concrete is now at this location.
[Elmer Seybold With a Rifle]
Elmer Seybold [(?)-1979] replaces the ramrod on a reproduction rifle. A powder horn & other paraphernalia are visible in foreground. The presence of a small card catalog in the background establishes the locale of this performance to be the old Boyce Ditto Library, in what is now [2013] part of the City Hall complex. The date of Mr. Seybold's presentation is unknown.
Ex-Confederates, Mineral Wells Camp No. 772
No information is available about this photograph, other than inscription "Ex. Confederates Min. Wells Camp no. 772" written in white or silver ink. There are twenty-three men in the picture (16 standing, 7 kneeling) apparently taken on NE 1st Street, beside the rock-constructed Yeager Drug Store. The apparent ages of the men indicates they were probably surviving veterans of the Civil War, either living in Mineral Wells or attending a convention here. The photograph is mounted on cardboard.
[ F. Troop 124th Cavalry ]
Shown here is a picture of the F Troop, 124th Cavalry, taken on the steps of the Baker Hotel at one of their annual meetings in the 1960's. From left to right 1st row: J. Harrington, P. Henson, M. Yell, J. Scott, L. Holt, J. Cooper, W. McQueary, W. Holt, G. Rankin, 2nd row: F. Crow, J. Warner, T. Owens, L. Knight, A. Lee, R. Huddleston, H. Warren, C. Baker, L. Hudspeth, T. Newton, T. J. Newton, 3rd row: G. Hines, E. Warren, O. Keller, N. Yates, J. Kincaid, R. Bell, H. Rochelle, D. McMinn, G. Lee, T. Blanton, 4th row: J. Harrington, V. Poe, N. Stockstill, A. Hudspeth, H. Blanton, N. Kimbrough, W. Bell, 5th row: C. Kirby, J. Harrison, O. Martin, S. Whatley, J. Dews, Dr. J. Huey. The television comedy "F Troop" was based loosely ("Coincidentally", according to William Gross, Jr.) on the Mineral Wells Troop. It performed some serious business: It was sent to Kilgore (Texas), where the oil wells had been ordered shut down in order to prevent a waste of oil and gas reserves. The "F" troop managed martial duty there. David Brunswick (the director of the band) played "Silent Night" on his trumpet from the armory on West Mountain every December 25th. People stayed awake to hear the announcement of midnight with the firing of a cannon, and the trumpet. In 1935, a cannon exploded and fatally injured the director's daughter and her friend. Mr. Brunswick ceased to play on his trumpet thereafter. The "F" Troop served with distinction in the China-Burma-India Theater of war in World War II. England's Lord Mountbatten, Commander of the C-B-I Theater, dedicated a monument to F Troop in Mineral Wells, October 14, 1972. The monument still stands on the south side of the 500 block of SE …
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