Mineola

Mineola may refer to:

Populated places

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In Canada

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Mineola, Texas

Mineola is a city in Wood County, Texas, United States. It lies at the junction of U.S. highways 69 and 80, eighty miles east of Dallas in southwestern Wood County. The population was 4,515 at the 2010 census.

Etymology

The town was incorporated as the railroads arrived. It is believed by some that a railroad official combined the names of two prominent locals' daughters Minnie and Olla to create the city name Mineola. While these two girls did exist, the more likely story is that the city was named after the railroad official's hometown of Mineola, New York because of the area's beauty.

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 fifteen minutes earlier. A city government was organized in 1873, a post office opened in 1875, and the town incorporated in 1877, but a fire in the 1880s destroyed eighteen 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, and a population of 2,000. In 1895 Mineola became the site of the Wood County Fair.

Mineola station (Texas)

Mineola is a station in Mineola, Texas, United States, currently served by Amtrak's Texas Eagle. The station was originally built in 1906 by the Texas & Pacific Railway and also used by the Missouri Pacific Railroad.

According to Mineola native Willie Brown, the station was built as the result of his persistent lobbying of President Bill Clinton. Responding to an Amtrak report that a survey did not reveal anyone wanting to get off in Mineola, Brown reportedly told Clinton: "The reason to stop in Mineola is not to let anybody off. It's to let the people on. Look at me! I left!" Amtrak's own press release on the station, however, credits "Mineola community leaders" with the successful effort.

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