119-121 South Johnson Street - Mineola Downtown Historic District - Mineola, TX - NRHP Historic Districts - Contributing Buildings on Waymarking.com

The district's Registration Form has an excellent overview of this building, and it doesn't get too terribly verbose:

"One of the oldest remaining buildings in Mineola, this two-part brick commercial block was built in 1888. Historic photographs show the date in the parapet of the entry, though the date is no longer extant. The first story is characterized by a canted corner entrance facing Commerce Street and has one replacement storefront bay on the south elevation. A secondary entrance, on the first and second stories, is located on the south elevation. The west elevation, facing Johnson Street, has one replacement storefront bay and a second bay with infilled brick, two entry doors, and a storefront window. The doors and windows of this second bay have four-light fixed transoms, except for the door located in the center of the building, which has a closed transom. The second floor has arched window openings with brick sills and primarily brick voissoirs. These windows are two-over-two double-hung wood sash. The parapet has stepped brick and is capped with concrete. First illustrated on the 1891 Sanborn map, it was used as a saloon and barber shop on the first floor, with rooms for rent on the second floor. By 1906 it was used as a drug store and barber shop, and continued as retail space, primarily for a drug store, through the 1940s. By the 1950s part of the building was used for retail space, but much of it was vacant. It is currently used as retail space. A non-historic-age state historic marker is located on the west elevation for “Saloons in Mineola.”"

--

As of this posting (6/2017), the building is still used for commercial purposes. "Herbs to You" is in #119, but note that the "PS I Love You" boutique at #121 is now numbered "101", making it 101 E Commerce St. The 2009 Texas Historical Marker along Johnson St notes this as the general area of saloons back in the day, a nod to this building's brief incarnation as a contributing member to Mineola's own Hell's Half Acre:

Mineola's saloon era began with its founding in 1873. At the junction of the Texas and Pacific and the Houston and Great Northern railroads. Saloons catered to Mineola's many transient workers; the town had at least 14 different saloons during the era, with as many as eight at one time. Lawmen like Marshal George C. Reeves and Deputy Sheriff William "Bill" McDonald kept order as Mineola gained a reputation as a town of tempestuous characters. By 1881, Mineola's churches and Ladies Aid Society began to lead a temperance movement and in 1903, residents voted to outlaw the sale of alcohol in Wood County, ending Mineola's saloon era.

Name of Historic District (as listed on the NRHP): Mineola Downtown Historic District Link to nationalregisterofhistoricplaces.com page with the Historic District: [Web Link] NRHP Historic District Waymark (Optional): [Web Link] Address: 119-121 S Johnson St, Mineola, TX 75773 How did you determine the building to be a contributing structure?: Narrative found on the internet (Link provided below) Optional link to narrative or database: [Web Link]

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.