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[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, 7 of 11: Frame and Rubble]
The First Baptist Church's second building was built in 1920, and used until 1967. It was demolished to build the third, and current, church on the same site. Please see photograph number 1 for details.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 8 of 11: Frame of Building]
The second building of the First Baptist Church was built in 1920, and used until 1967. It was then demolished to build the third and current church on the same site. 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.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 10 of 11: Frame and Rubble]
The second First Baptist Church building was built in 1920, and used until 1967. It was demolished to build the third and current church on the same site. Please see photograph number 1 for details.
[The Demolition of the First Baptist Church, 11 of 11: Partially Demolished]
The second First Baptist Church building was built in 1920, and used until 1967. It was demolished to build the third and current church on the same 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.
[The Donkey Trail up East Mountain - 1901]
A trail ride, going up East Mountain on burros, is pictured here. The participants listed on back of picture are: "Jessie Padgett - Dallas, Mr. Oscar Levin, Miss [unidentified], Mr. Coy Wimberly - Tyler, Miss [unidentified], Miss Burriss - Terrel, Mr. Jacobs - Atlanta, Lilian Webster - Dallas, Raymond Caruth - Dallas, Johnetta Armstrong - Dallas, Mr. Cousins - Tyler, Maggie Street - Dallas, Katie Elliott - Dallas, Miss Hyman - Min. Wells, Mr. Nance - Dallas, Mr. Brown - Tyler, Mary Roberts - Terrel, Will Caruty - Dallas. Mineral Wells, June 11, 1901." Burro rides on the Donkey Trail up East Mountain were a popular pastime around the turn of the twentieth century.
[The "Doodle Bug" Interior]
This photograph illustrates the interior of a McKeen motor car, known locally as a "Doodle Bug", with its dust-proof round windows. This one, owned by the Weatherford, Mineral Wells and Northwestern Railway, was an 81-passenger, 70-foot-long, 200-horsepower, gasoline-powered, motor coach. It traveled from Graford through Oran and Salesville to Mineral Wells, thence on to Dallas. It made a round trip daily from 1912 to 1929. A turntable at Graford turned the coaches around. There were two "Doodle Bugs" on the WMW&NW. The third similar coach, owned by the Gulf, Texas and Western Railroad (GT&W), traveled from Seymour through Guthrie, and Jacksboro to Salesville beginning in 1913. It proceeded thence over the WMW&NW track to Mineral Wells, and on to Dallas. The McKeen Motor Car Company was run by one William B. McKeen, who was both red-haired and described as "Flamboyant." He painted his demonstration cars bright red, and reproduced an image of them on his letterhead. He has been described as a "Hard-sell artist in an industry more accustomed to polite suggestion." He "Bombarded railroad presidents, big and small, with volley after volley of rapid-fire sales letters and telegrams, often following them up with personal visits." He was also characterized as being "Stubborn, strong-willed and very forceful." His motor-cars--with porthole windows and with a knife-front (which he felt would lessen air resistance, an idea that was vindicated much later)--were characteristic. His motor-cars were called a "Glorious failure" (even though 152 of them had been built) for the reason that McKeen was unfamiliar with the internal combustion engine (as were practically all of the railroad people of his time)--and he relied too heavily upon the crude models that were in fashion in his time. The light rails and branch lines that they were to run on became the occasion of many …
[Downtown Mineral Wells, Texas : January 11, 1919]
Downtown Mineral Wells, Texas is shown here, as taken on January 11, 1919. The first Crazy Hotel is the prominent building in the right middle portion of the picture. The first Roman Catholic Church can be seen on the side of West Mountain in the upper middle of the picture and the old High School, the "Little Rock School", and the West Ward School are at the base of West Mountain in the far upper left part of the picture. The Dr. A.W. Thompson home is at the foot of East Mountain in the lower middle foreground of the picture. The wide street in the left middle of the picture is NW 2nd Street, looking west. The First Presbyterian Church is the domed building on the right of 2nd Street at NW 4th Avenue, near the far end of NW 2nd Street.
[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"]
[Drinking Pavilion in the Crazy Hotel]
A caption on the back of the photograph states, "This picture, taken in the 1930's, shows the drinking pavilion in the [lacuna] Crazy Hotel." It was on the south wall of the hotel that the pavilion was located. It featured black marble counter-tops, and a small red tile roof. Servers wore white uniforms, and a machine sterilized each used glass. The price of a glass was set at five cents. The pavilion was operated for several years by Mr. Boyce Ditto, after whom the public library is named. Recognizable are N.E. Adams, last on the right, standing reading a newspaper; and Mrs. Veale, mother of Cecil Young, seated on left. Many people came to Mineral Wells to bathe and to "Drink their way to health" at the many wells and pavilions that catered to the public. This drinking pavilion is still extant, just off the lobby of the "Crazy" (now [2008] a retirement home), but it no longer dispenses mineral water.
[An Early Bird's-Eye-View of Mineral Wells]
A very early panoramic view of Mineral Wells (taken around 1882) from East Mountain and looking southwest is illustrated here. Locations identified by numbers are: 1: Judge Lynch's cabin, now Lynch Plaza at S. Oak Avenue and E. Hubbard Street; 2: The Mesquite Street well, middle of NE 1st Avenue (the second well in town, now [2008] abandoned); 3:The current center of downtown Mineral Wells, showing the intersection of Oak Avenue (US 281) and Hubbard Street (US Highway 180); 4: The current Fire and Police Departments; 5: S. Oak Avenue; 6: The Southern House Hotel; 7: The present "Business District", NE 1st Avenue; and 8: N. Oak Avenue (a residential area at the time.)
[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 Side of the (Third) First Presbyterian Church Building]
This picture shows the back (east) side of the third First Presbyterian Church of Mineral Wells, Texas. It features an arched window, and (presumably) the dedicatory cornerstone. Due to structural damage, this building was torn down in the 1980's, and replaced with the fourth First Presbyterian Church-- the third building at 300 NW 4th Avenue.
[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.
[Excavation for the Baker]
Excavation work and clearing of the two blocks in downtown Mineral Wells for the Baker Hotel is shown here. In the background is the Dr. Thompson home, the old First Methodist church and parsonage. The parsonage was moved to the corner of SE 3rd Street & SE 5th Avenue. The filling station in the foreground was located where Murray's Grill parking lot once was [ca. 1950]. The Piedmont Hotel was across the street (NE 1st Avenue.) where the Baker Hotel garage building is now [2009]located. The work has just begun clearing the lots. The tower on top of East Mountain is barely visible above the welcome sign that was erected there in 1925. This photograph comes from the Young collection.
[ 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 …
The Fairfield Hotel
The Fairfield Inn, at 814 North Oak Street, was built by Colonel Walter H. Boykin. The hotel was built into the side of East Mountain facing West, and it is said each floor had a ground level entrance. The date of construction of the hotel is not known, but Colonel Boykin built himself a home at 1301 SE 4th Avenue in 1904.
[A Farm House]
Photograph of a farmhouse in Palo Pinto County (possibly near Thurber), visible at the end of a round driveway of red soil. The house is two stories tall and has a long row of dormer windows above a full-length front porch. Several vehicles are parked in front of the home. On the right side of the image, a white fence marks the boundary of the yard and hills covered in scrub are visible on the other side.
[Farmer's Market at the Dancing Pavilion at Elmhurst Park]
This photograph, printed in A.F. Weaver's "TIME WAS IN Mineral Wells..." on page 88, illustrates a display of fruit jars at the Mineral Wells Fair, held at the Dancing Pavilion at Elmhurst Park. Canned fruits and vegetables were customarily entered in Palo Pinto County's annual fall harvest fair. Elmhurst Park hosted the fair, among other popular events during its heyday. The popularity of personal automobile transportation made transit by street car unprofitable by 1913, and the park closed shortly after the street cars were discontinued. The City of Mineral Wells' water treatment facilities are now located in the southwest part of town, on the former Elmhurst Park property.
[The Ferris Anderson Home]
This picture is may be found on page 183 of the book "Time Was..." Second Edition by A. F. Weaver. His caption reads, "Ferris Anderson home with Anderson on the left family group. Home is located off SE 25th Avenue. The American Legion Post 75 was named after Ferris Anderson." Anderson was a war casualty in World War I.
[The Fire at the Sangcura-Sprudel Well Building]
The Sangcura-Sprudel Well, located at 800 NW 2nd Avenue, was built around 1900. The building was later moved to 314 NW 5th Street, and the porches were enclosed. It was then re-modeled into a rooming house. The building burned down on December 5, 1973, five minutes before the annual Christmas Parade in Mineral Wells.
[The First Air-Mail Service to Mineral Wells]
The first batch of airmail arrived in Mineral Wells, 1947, 6:30 pm. Individuals from left are: John Chamberlain, Manager of the Chamber of Commerce, Fred Parnell, Bill Cameron, of the Index, Fred Brown, Manager of the Baker Hotel, Mayor John Miller, an unidentified pilot, D.C. Harris, Postmaster (holding the mail bag) and R. T. Jones. The airplane in the background, a Cessna 190, was probably the one used to transport the mail. It appeared to be a cold day, as the officials are all wearing coats. (A negative accompanying this picture depicted a "Christmas rush at the old Post Office")
[First Country Club]
Illustrated here is a picture of the first Mineral Wells Golf country club, taken about 1950. The picture shows it on the shore of a lake that was located about three miles east of Mineral Wells. Further information is,sadly,lacking.
[The First Crazy Hotel and Crazy Flats]
A view of the Crazy Flats and first Crazy Hotel, as seen from East Mountain, is shown here. The Crazy Flats, at the right middle of the picture, was the second Crazy Drinking Pavilion--also with Rooms for Rent--was built in 1909. One feature of the Flats was "Peacock Alley", where the men gathered on Sundays to watch the ladies parade and show off the latest fashions in female gear. The first Crazy Hotel is to the left rear of the Flats; the first section of the Hotel, on the right, was built in 1912, and the second section, on the left, to its left, was built in 1914 and connected to the first with a common lobby. The Crazy Bath house adjoined Crazy Flats on the left, and a drugstore was located in the left corner of the Bath house building. A fire, starting in the drugstore on March 15, 1925, burned the entire block, sparing only the small building housing the first Crazy Pavilion (the right rear of the Flats.) The current (second) Crazy Hotel opened in 1927, and replaced all of the former businesses in this block.
[The First Mayor of Incorporated Mineral Wells]
Judge J. A. Lynch bought eighty acres, laid out the city of Mineral Wells, and was its first self-appointed Mayor. The city itself incorporated in 1882, and Jim ("J. E."--the "E." is for "Edward") Laverty (1850-1934) became the first Mayor (and the first City Marshall) of the newly-incorporated Mineral Wells. Mineral Wells adopted a change of charter in 1894; and a new corporation was formed, which elected G. C. Green the next mayor of this new corporation. G.C.Green later moved to New Mexico and founded the town of Greens Gap. Laverty moved to Carlsbad, New Mexico in 1900 (at age 50), which city he tried to tout as a spa, like Mineral Wells. The famous caverns at Carlsbad were explored in 1901, and made into a national treasure. He married Mary Ann Cowden (1853-1924), and he had three children: Mary Eula Laverty (1879-1969), Roberta (Berta) Laverty (1879-1962), and Edward Franklin Laverty (1883-1956). This picture shows him and his dog in 1882. He died, and he was buried at Carlsbad in 1934, after serving two terms as mayor, and 23 years as City Treasurer and tax collector.
[The First Motorcycle in Mineral Wells]
A caption, taken from "Time Was..." by A. F. Weaver, on page 116 states: "Pictured in 1908 is Frank Richards, owner of the first motorcycle bought in Mineral Wells. D. C. Harris owned the second motorcycle." Frank Richards was the manager of the Star Well during Mineral Wells' heyday as a popular health spa, and the boy on the motorbike with him has been identified as his son, Robert Frank Richards. D. C. Harris was the postmaster, and served as Mayor of the city at one time.
[The First National Bank]
The First National Bank was organized about 1900 by Cicero Smith. It was located on the corner of Mesquite & Throckmorton Streets (Now, [2013] Southeast 1st Avenue and Northeast 1st Streets). The Index Printing Company is visible in the rear of the building. Fourteen men (and no women) are shown around the building, all dressed in three-piece suits--including the two lounging on the steps of the Index. The picture is featured in "Time Was in Mineral Wells" on page 146.
[First National Bank]
Shown here is the Teller's wicket in the original First National Bank. It was located at the corner of Throckmorton and Mesquite streets (Later: SE. 1st Avenue and SE 1st Streets). The identities of the people pictured are as yet [2014] unknown. The picture appears in "Time Was in Mineral Wells" on page 1146.
[First Presbyterian Church - 2 of 13: SW Corner]
This picture is the second in a series about the First Presbyterian Church, showing the juncture of the south side of the building and the main entrance, which was at the southwest corner of the building (left in the photograph.)
[First Presbyterian Church - 3 of 13: Front Entrance and Dome]
This photograph is the fourth in a series of pictures, showing architectural details of the First Presbyterian Church. This picture shows the dome over the Sanctuary.
[First Presbyterian Church - 4 of 13: Front Entrance and Dome]
This photograph is the fourth in a series of pictures of the First Presbyterian Church of Mineral Wells, Texas. This picture shows the front entrance, which was at the southwest corner of the church and the dome.
[First Presbyterian Church -7 of 13: Dome Detail]
The seventh in a series of pictures of architectural details of the First Presbyterian Church of Mineral Wells, this picture is a close-up of the dome atop the sanctuary.
[First Presbyterian Church -- 8 of 13: Gable Over the Entrance]
The eighth in a series of pictures showing architectural details of the Presbyterian Church of Mineral Wells, this view is a close-up of the pediment over the front entrance.
[First Presbyterian Church -- 9 of 13: South Side]
This photograph is the ninth in a series of pictures showing architectural details of the Presbyterian Church. This picture is a view of the south side of the church, including, at left, the main entrance at southwest corner of building.
[First Presbyterian Church -- 10 of 13: Close Up of Dome]
This is the tenth in a series of pictures showing architectural details of the First Presbyterian Church, being a close-up of the unique dome that topped the building.
[First Presbyterian Church -- 11 of 13: Close Up of the Dome]
This picture is the eleventh in a series of pictures showing architectural details of The First Presbyterian Church. This picture details the dome atop the church in a close-up view.
[First Presbyterian Church - 12 of 13: Front View]
This is the twelfth picture in a series of pictures showing architectural details of the First Presbyterian Church prior to its demolition. This is a general view of the church from the southwest corner of the building.
[First Presbyterian Church, 13 of 13 : South Side]
The third in a series of thirteen pictures of the First Presbyterian Church. This picture shows details of the south side of the church.
[First State Bank & Trust]
Shown here is an interior view of the First State Bank & Trust Company, later known as the State National Bank, located at 102 East Hubbard. This bank was organized in 1906, and it opened on April 17, 1906. It became the State National Bank in 1925. The First National Bank was merged with the State National Bank in 1931. The official name of the institution became First National Bank in 1955. At the desk is H. N. Frost, then president. Standing is W. I. Smith, Vice-President & cashier. The teller is unidentified. The photograph was taken 1921. Note the cuspidors in each corner. It is featured in "Time Was in Mineral Wells" on page 147.
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