Mineola, Texas: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 19:39, 19 May 2025

Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox settlement Mineola is a city in the U.S. state of Texas in Wood County. It lies 26 miles north of Tyler. Its population was 4,823 at the 2020 census.<ref name="2020_Census_MineolaCity" />

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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

History

Mineola came into existence when the railroads built lines through the eastern part of the state. In 1873, the Texas and Pacific 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, 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> 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, Template:Convert 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.

In 2023, Max aired How to Create a Sex Scandal, a three-part documentary about charges of child sexual abuse that allegedly took place in Mineola in 2005.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert are land and Template:Convert is covered by water.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

Mineola enjoys weather typical of East Texas, which is unpredictable, especially in the spring. Mineola's humid subtropical climate is typical of the Southeast United States.

Template:Weather box

Demographics

Template:US Census population

**Mineola racial composition as of 2020**<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
(NH = Non-Hispanic)Template:Efn
Race	Number	Percentage
White (NH)	3,081	63.88%
Black or African American (NH)	453	9.39%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	17	0.35%
Asian (NH)	31	0.64%
Some Other Race (NH)	3	0.06%
Mixed/Multi-Racial (NH)	146	3.03%
Hispanic or Latino	1,092	22.64%
Total	4,823

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,823 people, 1,686 households, and 1,021 families residing in the city. The population density was Template:Convert. The 2,086 housing units<ref name="2020_Census_MineolaCity_Occupancy" /> averaged Template:Convert. 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 Template:Percentage<ref name="2020_Census_ACS_Demographcis_Est" /> under 18, Template:Percentage<ref name="2020_Census_ACS_Demographcis_Est" /> from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and Template:Percentage<ref name="2020_Census_ACS_Demographcis_Est" /> who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.1 years.<ref name="2020_Census_ACS_Demographcis_Est" /> For every 100 females, there were 99.2 males.<ref name="2020_Census_ACS_Demographcis_Est" /> For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was Template:US$, and for a family was Template:US$. Males had a median income of Template:US$ versus Template:US$ for females. The per capita income for the city was Template:US$. About 16.2% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.3% of those under age 18 and 11.2% of those age 65 or over.

Religion

File:Mineola May 2018 01 (First Baptist Church).jpg

First Baptist Church

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

Sports

Template:Main The Mineola Black Spiders were a non-league barnstorming African-American baseball team. In Template:Year, the Texas Historical Commission erected a historical marker at the corner of Hwy. 69 S and South Johnson Street.<ref name="Mineola_BlackSpiders" />

Parks and recreation

The Mineola Nature Preserve

Largest city-owned park per capita in the United States at 2,911 acres. "The Birding Capital of East Texas" established in 2005.

Howard L. and Vivian W. Lott House

Template:Main

The Howard L. and Vivian W. Lott House is a house designed in the Prairie School style with classical details. It is a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.<ref name="Lott_Tx_Marker" /><ref name="LottHouse_NRIS" />

Iron Horse Square

Iron Horse Square is a five acre area in downtown Mineola that celebrates the railroad heritage of our city, county and East Texas area. Situated between Front and Commerce Streets and alongside the Union Pacific Railroad tracks the park is a joint effort between the Mineola Landmark Commission, the Parks & Open Spaces Board and the City of Mineola. It hosts a mini train, railroad-themed playground, and historical walking trail.

Mineola Downtown Historic District

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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 Template:Convert.

It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 16, 2013.<ref name="Historic_Dist_NRIS" />

Lakes

Lake Holbrook – located four miles west.
Lake Fork – located 20 miles north, between the towns of Quitman, Alba, Emory, and Yantis, Texas.

Education

The City of Mineola is served by the Mineola Independent School District.

Mineola High School

Historically Black schools

Mineola Colored High School
McFarland ElementaryTemplate:Citation needed

Media

Newspaper

Template:Main The Wood County Monitor is a weekly newspaper serving Mineola and Wood County, Texas. In Template:Monthname Template:Year, newspaper operations of the Mineola Monitor and the Wood County Democrat were merged by their owner, Bluebonnet Publishing, to form the Wood County Monitor.

Radio

Template:Main KMOO-FM (Template:Frequency FM, "K-Moo") is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Mineola, Texas, United States, the station serves the Tyler-Longview area. The station is currently owned by Hightower Radio, Inc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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

Farm to market roads

File:Texas FM 49.svg FM 49

State highways

File:Texas 37.svg Texas State Highway 37
File:Texas Loop 564.svg Loop 564 State Highway Loop 564 (large sections are outside city limits)

Railroads

Template:Main Mineola is currently served by Amtrak's Texas Eagle passenger railway line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The railroad tracks which run through the southern portion of Wood County and through Mineola are currently owned and operated by Union Pacific.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Airports

Mineola is served by two airports:

Mineola Wisner Field is identified as 3F9.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This airport was established in 1917, and has been operated by the same family owners since 1926.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Wood County Airport (Mineola/Quitman Airport) is a public airport owned by Wood County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>