Mineola is a city in the U.S. state of

Texas Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...

in Wood County. It lies 26 miles north of Tyler. Its population was 4,823 at the 2020 census. The town was incorporated as the railroads arrived in 1873. A railroad official, Ira H. Evans, combined the names of his daughter, Ola, and her friend, Minnie Patten, to create the city name Mineola.

History

Mineola came into existence when the railroads built lines through the eastern part of the state. In 1873, the

Texas and Pacific The Texas and Pacific Railway Company (known as the T&P) was created by federal charter in 1871 with the purpose of building a southern transcontinental railroad between Marshall, Texas, and San Diego, California. History Under the influence of ...

and the International-Great Northern raced to see which could get to Mineola first. The I-GN reached the finish 15 minutes earlier. A city government was organized in 1873, a post office opened in 1875, and the town was incorporated in 1877, but a fire in the 1880s destroyed 18 buildings. The town's oldest paper, the ''

Mineola Monitor The ''Mineola Monitor'' was a newspaper in Mineola, Texas serving Wood County, Texas and the communities of Alba, Golden, Hawkins and parts of unincorporated Wood County. It was established in 1876 by D.C. Williams. In 1907 the Monitor was purcha ...

'', was founded in 1876. By 1890, the town had seven churches, several schools including a black free school, hotels, banks. In 1895, Mineola became the site of the Wood County Fair. Since Mineola was in the heart of the

East Texas East Texas is a broadly defined cultural, geographic, and ecological region in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Texas that comprises most of 41 counties. It is primarily divided into Northeast and Southeast Texas. Most of the region consi ...

timber belt, timber was plentiful for making railroad ties and lumber. Mineola provided most of the ties to complete the T&P RR west to El Paso in 1879; S. Zuckerman, a Mineola resident, filled contracts for 85,000 ties that were used in the construction. During the community's first 60 years, farm products included cotton, livestock, fruit, and berries. A chair factory opened in 1886, became a crate and basket factory in 1900, and operated until 1952. Highway improvement, the Magnolia Pipeline Company gas line, and the establishment of a railroad terminal caused growth during the 1920s, and the discovery of oil in parts of Wood County and construction of a T&P railroad shop spurred the economy during the 1940s. Diversified farming gave way to cattle raising and watermelon crops by 1950. The Mineola Watermelon Festival began in 1948. Subsequently, sweet-potato farming, a creamery, a nursery, and a company that supplies poles and pulpwood to the telephone company helped the economy. The town remains a shipping center. The Mineola Memorial Library, largely financed by H. W. Meredith, was completed in 1960. Nearby Lake Holbrook, also completed in 1962, attracts residents and visitors. The Meredith Foundation has provided large sums for educational and cultural purposes since 1962. Meredith Hall Civic Center, completed in 1977, is used by large and small groups for varied events. The manufacture of women's clothing, sporting goods, electronic connectors, fertilizer, and cattle feed, and the packaging of dry beans and meat provide employment for many people. The Wood County Airport, north of Mineola, was completed in 1984. A new city hall complex was completed in 1986, and a two-school facility was completed in 1987.

Geography

Mineola is located at . According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which are land and is covered by water.

Climate

Mineola enjoys weather typical of East Texas, which is unpredictable, especially in the spring. Mineola's

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

is typical of the Southeast United States.

Demographics

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 4,823 people, 1,686 households, and 1,021 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . The 2,086 housing units averaged . Of the 1,686 households, 29.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 50.6% were married couples living together, 12.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.7% were not families. About 30.1% were made up of individuals, and 17.3% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.48, and the average family size was 3.08. In the city, the age distribution was under 18, from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males. The median income for a household in the city was , and for a family was . Males had a median income of versus for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was . About 16.2% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...

, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

* First

Baptist Baptists form a major branch of Protestantism distinguished by baptizing professing Christian believers only (believer's baptism), and doing so by complete immersion. Baptist churches also generally subscribe to the doctrines of soul compete ...

Mineola is one of the largest churches in the Wood County area, with enrollment record around 850. * Sand Springs Baptist Church is located just west of Mineola. The church has a regular Sunday attendance around 350. * Broad Street

Church of Christ Church of Christ may refer to: Church groups * When used in the plural, a New Testament designation for local groups of people following the teachings of Jesus Christ: "...all the churches of Christ greet you", Romans 16:16. * The entire body of Ch ...

* Mineola First United Methodist Church * New Hope Baptist Church * St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church, founded October 1871, in Mineola * Johnson Chapel United Methodist Church * Sidney Temple Church of God * East Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church * St. Peter the Apostle Roman Catholic Church is a parish of the

Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler The Roman Catholic Diocese of Tyler ( la, Dioecesis Tylerensis) is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory, or diocese, of the Catholic Church in eastern Texas in the United States. The episcopal see is Tyler, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate ...

Sports

The ''Mineola Black Spiders'' were a non-league barnstorming African-American baseball team. In , the

Texas Historical Commission The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas. The commission also identifies Recorded Texas Historic La ...

erected a historical marker at the corner of Hwy. 69 S and South Johnson Street.

Parks and recreation

;Howard L. and Vivian W. Lott House The ''Howard L. and Vivian W. Lott House'' is a house designed in the

Prairie School Prairie School is a late 19th- and early 20th-century architectural style, most common in the Midwestern United States. The style is usually marked by horizontal lines, flat or hipped roofs with broad overhanging eaves, windows grouped in ...

style with classical details. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. ;Mineola Downtown Historic District Mineola Downtown Historic District is home to a collection of buildings that were constructed between 1885 and 1960. The district comprises 88 properties and covers almost . It was added to the

on April 16, 2013. ;Lakes * Lake Holbrook – located 4 miles west. * Lake Fork – located 20 miles north, between the towns of Quitman,

Alba ''Alba'' ( , ) is the Scottish Gaelic name for Scotland. It is also, in English language historiography, used to refer to the polity of Picts and Scottish people, Scots united in the ninth century as the Kingdom of Alba, until it developed i ...

Emory Emory may refer to: Places * Emory, Texas, U.S. * Emory (crater), on the moon * Emory Peak, in Texas, U.S. * Emory River, in Tennessee, U.S. Education * Emory and Henry College, or simply Emory, in Emory, Virginia, U.S. * Emory University ...

, and

Yantis, Texas Yantis is a town in Wood County, Texas, United States. The population was 388 at the 2010 census. The town is surrounded on three sides by Lake Fork Reservoir. It is located at the intersection of State Highway 154 and Farm to Market Road 17 appr ...

Education

The City of Mineola is served by the

Mineola Independent School District Mineola Independent School District is a public school district based in Mineola, Texas (USA). In 2009, the school district was rated ''academically acceptable'' by the Texas Education Agency. See also *List of school districts in Texas Thi ...

. * Mineola High School ; Historically Black schools *

Mineola Colored High School Addie E. McFarland High School was the segregated high school serving African American students from 1950 to 1965 in Mineola, Texas. The institution had prior been named Mineola Colored High School (1947 to 1950) and South Ward High School (1889 ...

* McFarland Elementary

Media

;Newspaper The ''Wood County Monitor'' is a weekly newspaper serving Mineola and Wood County,

. In , newspaper operations of the ''

'' and the ''Wood County Democrat'' were merged by their owner, Bluebonnet Publishing, to form the ''Wood County Monitor''. ;Radio KMOO-FM ( FM, "K-Moo") is a

radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...

broadcasting a

country music Country (also called country and western) is a genre of popular music that originated in the Southern and Southwestern United States in the early 1920s. It primarily derives from blues, church music such as Southern gospel and spirituals, ...

format. Licensed to Mineola, Texas, United States, the station serves the Tyler-Longview area. The station is currently owned by Hightower Radio, Inc. Studios and transmitter are located in Mineola.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads

Mineola includes the intersection of two major U.S. highways; US 69 and US 80 intersect in the downtown area. Texas Highway 37 connects Mineola and Quitman off US 69. ;Major highways * US 69

U.S. Highway 69 * US 80

U.S. Highway 80 U.S. Route 80 or U.S. Highway 80 (US 80) is a major east–west United States Numbered Highway in the Southern United States, much of which was once part of the early auto trail known as the Dixie Overland Highway. As the "0" in the rou ...

;Farm to market roads * Texas FM 49

FM 49 ;State highways * Texas 37

Texas State Highway 37 State Highway 37 is a state highway that runs from the Oklahoma border near Albion to Mineola in the northeast corner of the state. History SH 37 was designated as a route on April 13, 1918 from Clarksville to Lufkin. On August 21, 1923, i ...

Loop 564 State Highway Loop 564 (large sections are outside city limits)

Railroads

Mineola is currently served by

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Trade name, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national Passenger train, passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous United Stat ...

's Texas Eagle passenger railway line. The railroad tracks which run through the southern portion of Wood County and through Mineola are currently owned and operated by Union Pacific.

Airports

Mineola is served by two airports: * Mineola Wisner Field is identified as 3F9. This airport was established in 1917, and has been operated by the same family owners since 1926. * Wood County Airport (Mineola/Quitman Airport) is a public airport owned by Wood County.

Gallery

File:Mineola Select (1 of 1).jpg, Select Theater File:Mineola Train Depot (1 of 1).jpg, Amtrak Train Station File:Beckham Hotel Mineola (1 of 1).jpg, Beckham Hotel File:Downtown Mineola5 (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown File:Mineola Post Office (1 of 1).jpg, United States Post Office, now a museum File:Downtown Mineola 5 (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown File:Downtown Mineola 6 (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown File:Downtown Mineola 7 (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown File:Mineola 11 (1 of 1).jpg, Downtown

Notable people

* Willie Brown, former mayor of San Francisco and former

speaker of the California Assembly The following is a list of speakers of the California State Assembly. It does not number those individuals who served abbreviated terms or those who served during an special session, extraordinary session called by the Governor of California for ...

, attended

* R.C. Hickman, an American civil rights photographer who documented events for the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is a civil rights organization in the United States, formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. ...

during the 1950s *

Jim Hogg James Stephen "Jim" Hogg (March 24, 1851March 3, 1906) was an American lawyer and statesman, and the 20th Governor of Texas. He was born near Rusk, Texas. Hogg was a follower of the conservative New South Creed which became popular following ...

, Texas governor lived in Mineola and his daughter

Ima Hogg Ima Hogg (July 10, 1882 – August 19, 1975), known as "The First Lady of Texas", was an American society leader, philanthropist, mental health advocate, patron and collector of the arts, and one of the most respected women in Texas during th ...

was born in a house in this city. The house still stands and is marked by a historical marker * Bryan Hughes, a lawyer in Mineola, has been since 2003 a Republican member of the

Texas House of Representatives The Texas House of Representatives is the lower house of the bicameral Texas Legislature. It consists of 150 members who are elected from single-member districts for two-year terms. As of the 2010 United States census, each member represents abou ...

; in 2017, he became a member of the Texas State Senate *

Bobby Ray Inman Bobby Ray Inman (born April 4, 1931) is a retired United States Navy admiral who held several influential positions in the United States Intelligence Community. Early years Inman was born and raised in the community of Rhonesboro, Upshur Count ...

, former deputy director of the

Central Intelligence Agency The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA ), known informally as the Agency and historically as the Company, is a civilian foreign intelligence service of the federal government of the United States, officially tasked with gathering, processing, ...

, U.S. Naval Admiral, nominated by

President Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and again ...

to be

secretary of defense of the United States The United States secretary of defense (SecDef) is the head of the United States Department of Defense, the executive department of the U.S. Armed Forces, and is a high ranking member of the federal cabinet. DoDD 5100.1: Enclosure 2: a The se ...

* William Jesse "Bill" McDonald, a former Texas Ranger, was a storekeeper and then Wood County deputy sheriff in the late 19th century *

Adam Moore Adam Ross Moore (born May 8, 1984) is an American former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Seattle Mariners, Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians and Tampa Bay Rays. Moore was draft ...

, professional baseball player * Kacey Musgraves, Grammy-winning country music artist and performer *

Jack Rhodes Andrew Jackson "Jack" Rhodes (January 12, 1907 – October 9, 1968) was an American country music producer and songwriter, with songwriting credits on over 625 released songs. Several of his songs became hit records, including "A Satisfied Mind" ...

, influential country music songwriter and inductee in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame * Noble Willingham, television and film actor known for ''

The Last Picture Show ''The Last Picture Show'' is a 1971 American coming-of-age drama film directed and co-written by Peter Bogdanovich, adapted from the semi-autobiographical 1966 novel ''The Last Picture Show'' by Larry McMurtry. The film's ensemble cast includes T ...

'' and ''

Walker, Texas Ranger ''Walker, Texas Ranger'' is an American action crime television series created by Leslie Greif and Paul Haggis. It was inspired by the film ''Lone Wolf McQuade'', with both this series and that film starring Chuck Norris as a member of the Texa ...

Notes

References

External links

*
Mineola.com – Official City Website
{{authority control Cities in Texas Cities in Wood County, Texas Populated places established in 1877 1877 establishments in Texas