Boyce Ditto Public Library - 68 Matching Results

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[A View of Mineral Wells From South Mountain]

Description: A view of Mineral Wells, looking north from South Mountain, taken after 1929, is pictured here. The front of the old Mineral Wells High School is visible in the lower left corner. The Crazy Hotel is just to the right of center. This picture comes from one of 17 (4X4) negatives that were found in an envelope from Charles W. Simonds (Route 5, Box 43, Norman, Oklahoma, 73069), addressed to A.F. Weaver Photography and postmarked Aug. 4, 1975. Also on the envelope were some telephone numbe… more
Date: 1920?

D.W. Griffith Presents "The Birth of a Nation"

Description: Souvenir program from the silent motion picture, "The Birth of a Nation, the Most Stupendous and Fascinating Motion Picture Drama Created in the United States. Founded on Thomas Dixon's story 'The Clansman'", which presents an early 20th-century Southern view of Reconstruction. The program includes a list of cast members, statements about the creation of the film and background of the story, trivia about the film, and blurbs from reviewers.
Date: April 1, 1924
Creator: Griffith, D.W.

[D. W. Griffith]

Description: D. W. Griffith is shown standing on the roof of the new Crazy Hotel, which opened in 1927; and replaced the First Crazy Hotel, which had burned in 1925. Mr. Griffith, who produced silent movies including the "Keystone Kops" comedies, and the classic film "Birth of a Nation", was a guest at the Crazy Hotel while visiting Mineral Wells in 1929. A commemorative postage stamp was issued in his honor on May 27, 1975. Local folklore has it that Mr. Griffith was impressed by the "WELCOME… more
Date: 1929

We lost our job at Mineral Wells, Texas

Description: This is a picture that was found in Mr. Weaver's collection, and captioned "We lost our job at Mineral Wells, Texas." This type of advertising was used by most of the drinking pavilions in this popular health resort to tout the beneficial effects of Mineral Wells' waters. There were numerous testimonials attesting the truth of such claims. When the Food and Drug Administration began to enforce the nation's drug laws vigorously in the mid-1930's, however, there were no rigorous scienti… more
Date: 1920?/1930?

Crazy Hotel: Formal Opening Menu

Description: This photograph shows a SOUVENIR MENU on the occasion of the formal opening of the Crazy Hotel on March 11, 1927. The hotel, now [2008] a retirement hotel, is still located on the corner of N. Oak Avenue and NW 3rd Street, Mineral Wells, Texas. It was closed as a retirement hotel, under a considerable cloud, in 2010.
Date: 1927

[Excavation for the Baker]

Description: 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… more
Date: 1927?

[The Burning of the First Crazy Hotel]

Description: The first Crazy Hotel burned in 1925. This photograph shows the fire as it is burning out, and only a few pieces of the structure still stand. The sign seen in the left part of the photo says "Crazy Drug Co." which was the pharmacy inside the hotel. The hotel was rebuilt and claims to be fire-proof.
Date: 1925

[The Convention Hall, Built in 1925]

Description: This photograph shows the Convention Hall, which was built in 1925 to accommodate the West Texas Chamber of Commerce Convention. The lack of signage on the front of the building--along with copious bunting--suggests that the photograph was taken at its dedication. The picture is featured in "Time There Once was", page 164. The Convention Hall was demolished in 1976.
Date: 1925

The Crazy Well Water Company

Description: This picture shows a photograph of two pages from a water-bottle-shaped brochure about Mineral Wells. The "Appendix" referred to on the verso folio refers to a series of burlesques printed on previous--unseen--pages. Recto describes the four types of the water and the various ailments that they are expected to cure. The brochure notes that number four water is purgative, and should be used in moderation, but at frequent intervals.
Date: 1920?

[Milling's Sanitarium and Water Well ]

Description: The gazebo-like structure shown in the picture protects a water pump in front of the Milling Sanitarium. The sanitarium was built about 1929 on what was then the 2500 block of Southeast 6th Avenue. It later became the Irvine Sanitarium. The Veterans of Foreign Wars (Post 2399) occupies the building as of 2010. The fate of the structure shown here is unknown.
Date: 1920?/1929?

The Davis Wells; The Davis Baths

Description: Pictured here is a semi-ornate brick building (with a socle presumably of stone), advertising the Davis Wells and the Davis Baths. This enterprise is not listed in A.F. Weaver's "TIME WAS in Mineral Wells...." The picture appears to have been excerpted from a larger photograph, as the legend "Davis Baths" (not visible in the picture) appears on the negative. Polk's Directory for 1920 lists "Davis Mineral Baths" (proprietor, Dr. Eldred A.--the "A" stands for "Albany"--Davis) at "210… more
Date: 1920?
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