This photograph shows the Austin Well as it was in 1974. A legend on the back of photograph reads: "Looking south shows remains of Austin Well in the foreground with the remains of what used to be the crystal plant. Across the street may be seen the St Regis box plant." The former Crazy Water Crystal plant, at the left edge of the picture, is now [2009] the St. Regis box factory This well is associated with a unique and romantic history: It was dug by a Mr. Austin, who claimed to have "Sore eyes", so that he had difficulty riding a horse. The horse, however, faithfully led him to a well where Mr. Austin soothed his eyes. He saw improvement after six weeks; and moved to Mineral Wells, where he drilled a well of his own. A cowboy rode a blind mare into Mineral Wells and auctioned her off for a dollar and a half. Mr. Austin acquired the horse, and put her to work drawing water from the well by turning a wheel to which was attached a rope, which with each revolution of the wheel, pulled a bucket of water from the well to ground level. Nellie was trained to pause at a point in her circular route long enough for the bucket to be emptied, then continue on to pull up the next bucket when it was filled. Blind Nellie was retired in her old age, but continued to walk a similar circular route in the pasture to which she was retired, pausing in each revolution, as before, until her death in 1912. Texas Packaging Company, Incorporated, has occupied the box plant since 1980.
The Brewer home on East Mountain is shown here, from a picture taken April 4, 1976. It is visible from most of North Oak Avenue. Originally the Murphy Home, the building underwent many renovations during the period of Mr. Murphy's residence. Mr. Murphy was a contractor who built many buildings in Mineral Wells, including the Mineral Wells High School (1914) and the third First Baptist Church. It is a good example of (re-modeled) Neo-classical architecture.
The Calvary Baptist Church was originally located at 708 SE 5th Street. This picture was taken in 1975, shortly before the building was torn down and replaced by a more modern facility. Both the red-brick-trimmed native rock church and parsonage suffered substantial structural deterioration, which necessitated replacement. This series of pictures was probably taken for both a pictorial history of the old church, as well as photographic evidence of the deterioration of the structure that warranted its destruction and replacement. The new church, at this same location, now faces SE 6th Avenue.
The Calvary Baptist Church, as it appeared in 1975, is shown here. Note the combined use of native stone and brick and the lack of a peaked roof. The upper part of the windows appear to be stained (or painted) glass. This one of a series of pictures of the church and parsonage, showing structural damage prior to their demolition. This native rock and red brick church faced south on SE 5th Street, and the white brick structure which replaced it is built on the same city block but faces west on SE 6th Avenue.
This home was the parsonage of Calvary Baptist Church in 1975, according to a note on back of the picture. Note the brick crosses worked into the stone-work above the front door and on the chimney. The picture also shows some structural cracks in the native sandstone rockery above the entrance and window, probably indicating foundation damage. There are also some weathered holes in the structurally-sound, but odd, limestone rocks used in construction.
The Colonel Boykin Home, at 1301 SE 4th Avenue, Mineral Wells, Texas appears to show neo-classical elements, along with evidence of later remodeling. This home was built in 1905 by Colonel Walter H. Boykin, owner of the Fairfield Inn. It was later purchased by William Whipple Johnson who, with his brother, Harvey, originally developed the coal mines in Thurber, Texas. Johnson opened the Rock Creek Mine in far western Parker County (after selling the mines at Thurber) and lived in this home while he operated it. The Will Smith family owned the house during the 1930's The house was converted to a rooming house during World War II, and abandoned in later years. The abandoned house was bought in 1975 by Morris Wayne Garrett and his wife, Darlene. They salvaged artifacts from several historical buildings in Mineral Wells that were in the process of being demolished: A beveled-glass door from the old Miller Hotel, large claw-footed bathtubs from the Jerome Hotel, French doors and tall windows from the old Firemen's club at Lake Mineral Wells, and baluster rails which were once part of the Hexagon Hotel. Such were their efforts to restore the home to its former grandeur.
This series of photographs was taken in 1975, during the construction of the Mineral Wells Savings and Loan at 101 SE 1st Avenue. The Howard Brothers Department Store was an early occupant of the site. Demolition of the Howard Building began March 17, 1975 to make room for the Savings and Loan. A new First State Bank currently [2011] occupies this entire city block. A good view of the south side of the Baker Hotel is visible in the background.
The construction of the Mineral Wells Savings and Loan, at 101 SE 1st Avenue in 1975, was documented in this series of photographs. The Howard Building, the first of the complex of Howard Brothers Department Stores, had been built on this location in the early 1900's. Demolition of the Howard Building began March 17, 1975, to make room for the Savings and Loan. The Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store (at the site of Mineral Wells' first Post Office) and the Green Stamp Store are visible across SE 1st Avenue, south of the Savings and Loan. The new First State State currently covers the entire city block at this location.
This series of photographs of the construction of Mineral Wells Savings and Loan was taken in 1975. Demolition of the Howard Building began March 17, 1975, to make room for the Savings and Loan. D.M. Howard was the first of five brothers to arrive from North Carolina. He later sent for his other brothers to establish the Howard Brothers Department Stores complex in the early 1900's. The Baker Hotel, directly across E. Hubbard north of the Savings and Loan, is seen to the left of the picture. Across SE 1st Street, to the south, were the Piggly Wiggly Grocery store (at the site of Mineral Wells' first Post Office) and the S & H Green Stamp store. The First State Bank now [2012] occupies this entire city block.
A photograph of the barber Shop in the Crazy Hotel is shown here, including a long row of mirrors and waiting area on the far right, and stations for cutting hair on the left. In the center of the image, "Shoe Shine Boy" Leon Cross is seated next to a shoe-shine stand and an unidentified man (presumably, a barber) is seated near him in a barber chair.
This picture was taken in 1974, looking south on NW 1st Avenue from NW 4th Street, showing the metal cover, in the sidewalk corner, of the Crazy Well. It is full of Crazy water, ready to be pumped out and used. The building on the left is the west side of the present [2008] Crazy Water Retirement Hotel. This information was taken from Art Weaver's book "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells...", page 29. This well was the third one dug in Mineral Wells.
This is another view of the spectacular fire that consumed the Damron Hotel on December 22, 1975. The hotel was 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 received extensive photographic coverage. 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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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 is a picture of the dedication of "Little Rock Schoolhouse" Museum. [See other photographs for more details.] Senator Tom Creighton is shown addressing an attentive audience.
A marker commemorating the conversion of Mineral Wells' first school to a museum. "The Little Rock Schoolhouse" was built in 1884, and though tuition was charged to the students to pay the teacher, the school building, itself, was built by the city. A granite marker to commemorate the conversion of the school to a museum was unveiled at this dedication.
The metal framework of the Mineral Wells Convention Hall is all that it readily visible during its demolition in 1975/1976. Built on the rock foundation of the Electric Plant that Galbraith had erected in order (Unsuccessfully, it is guessed) to light the city. The Convention Hall was built for the West Texas Chamber of Commerce Convention in 1925. It served as the site of numerous local functions including High School Graduation Exercises. The landmark Hexagon Hotel, Mineral Wells' first electrically-lighted hotel, stood on the vacant corner lot in the left foreground of this picture from 1897 to 1959.
This photograph was taken at an early stage of the demolition of the Mineral Wells Convention Hall on N. Oak Avenue. Built in 1925 to accommodate the West Texas Chamber of Commerce Convention, it was constructed on the rock foundation of the electric power plant built by the owner of the Hexagon Hotel to light the city (presumably with DC electricity). The Hexagon Hotel, Mineral Wells' first electrically-lighted hotel, stood on the vacant corner lot in the foreground of this picture. It was torn down in 1959. When the Convention Hall was torn down in 1975, a member of the demolition crew said the new owner of the former London Bridge (to be re-erected at Havasu City in Arizona)was interested in acquiring the rocks to build the foundation for a fort to be constructed at the same site. (One local story credits that interest in the foundation stones as the reason for the demolition of the Convention Hall.)
A holograph legend on the back of this picture states: "Tearing down Convention Hall 1976." The photograph illustrates the demolition of the building in full swing. Only the skeleton of the roof remains, and the walls are in ruins. This picture appears in Weaver's "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells" on page 186.
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.
This photograph affords a wider view of the house shown in the previous picture. It is of eclectic style, with Prairie, and Neoclassical elements. A telephone book dated 1940 lists it as the address of Alvin Maddox.
A photograph of Jarmon Alvis Lynch and his wife, taken October 1, 1977. He was the grandson J. A. Lynch, the founder of Mineral Wells. He is shown standing on the steps of the Rock School House (in Mineral Wells)in this 1977 photograph, and holding his drawing of the Lynch cabins, which also shows the drilling rig his grandfather used to dig the first mineral well.
The dam of Lake Mineral Wells is shown here during a flood, March 1976. A large area of Palo Pinto and Parker counties received heavy rains (up to 7.2 inches in places) during a three-day period. The road directly below the dam was entirely under water, and the effect of water flowing over the road is barely visible. Heavy damage was also reported over a substantial part of the City of Mineral Wells as a result of the downpour.
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.
This picture immortalizes the signing of the 25-year lease at $25 per year of the 1884 Little Rock School building for the purpose of establishing it as a museum. Pictured, left to right are: A. F. Weaver, President of the Mineral Wells Heritage Association; L. Gordon Nelson, Vice President; Mrs. Gordon Nelson, Chairperson for the Restoration Committee. Seated is Bill Hall, Superintendent of Mineral Wells Schools. The photograph was taken in July, 1975. The Little Rock School, in 2007, remains a museum dedicated to the preservation of the History of Mineral Wells. This picture appears in "Time Was in Mineral Wells...." on page 173.
Shown here is a picture of the Mineral Wells Police force and the City/County Ambulance Service, taken in 1974. From left to right are: Bennie Hutcheson, R.A. Hodges, Jim Elmore, Jimmy Davis, Walter Graves, Orville West, Montiford Parker, Henry Childress, Don Farriel, Larry Brandenburg, Bill Meaders, Raymond Jones, Mike Poe, Ricky Shank, Fred Foreman (Police Chief), Gene Knerr, Gilbert Sommerfield (Investigator), David Jared, and Ronnie Edwards. The information was taken from the back of photograph, which itself was taken at the West City Park. It is published on page 153 of A.F.Weaver's book, "TIME WAS In Mineral Wells."
The old Katie Ware Home is also shown here. The style appears to be Queen Anne, Free Classic sub-style but it shows signs of extensive remodeling. Note the slightly unusual polygonal tower, and the front porch (which also serves as a car-port) that is level with the ground. It was located at 911 N. Oak Street. The photograph was taken taken during June of 1974.
The old Katie Ware Home, of Queen Anne Style, shows possible remodeling. Please note the slightly unusual octagonal tower. Also note the front porch, level with the ground. The building was located at 911 N. Oak Avenue. It has since [2008] been demolished. The picture was taken on taken June of 1974. The picture shows the home from the front.
This is a picture of old Matt Skeen Home at 516 NE 4th Avenue, Mineral Wells, Texas. The porch, the face of the gable, and the differing roof lines all suggest later remodeling. Note the unusual candle-snuffer roof of the unusually-placed tower. The picture was taken June of 1974.
Palo Pinto General Hospital opened in 1970 and is located west of Mineral Wells. It has been, since this picture was taken, enlarged and remodeled extensively. This hospital replaced the downtown Nazareth Hospital. While the hospital was been built, the first two floors of the Crazy Water Hotel was used as a hospital. This picture is featured in "Time Once Was in Mineral Wells" on page 168.
Shown here is a panoramic View of Mineral Wells, Texas taken August 8, 1974. The Baker Hotel and the Crazy Water Hotel are visible. The Convention Center is seen in the far left of the photograph. The view is from West Mountain, looking toward East Mountain over north Mineral Wells.
Panoramic photograph of Mineral Wells, looking east from West Mountain. The Baker Hotel and First National Bank (now Bank of America) are visible in center of photograph. Native plants are pictured in the left of photograph.
Photograph of a panoramic view of northwest Mineral Wells from West Mountain, looking toward East Mountain. Included in photograph are the Convention Center, the Box Factory, and the Crazy Water Hotel.
A photograph of a piano recital, from a roll of film labeled "Ina Howard Ramsey." Mrs. Ramsey's parents once operated the former Star Boarding House on NW 2nd Street. She is shown playing an upright piano at the base of a stage in the First Presbyterian church's Fellowship Hall.
According to the notes that accompanied this series of negatives, a piano recital was held about the same time as the auction of Mr. Weaver's book, "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells..." Mr. Weaver photographed both events. The piano recital was given in the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian church. Ina Howard Ramsey is the pianist. Mrs. Ramsey was visiting her native home of Mineral Wells at the time.
This photograph was taken from a roll of film labeled, "Ina Howard Ramsey." The note included in this series of pictures suggests that a piano recital was held about the same time as the auction of Mr. Weaver's book. Mr. Weaver photographed both events. The site of the recital was the Fellowship Hall of the First Presbyterian church. Ina Howard Ramsey is the pianist. The recital was an entertainment for the Mineral Wells Heritage Association.
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