The Mineola Historical Museum at 114 N. Pacific Street in Mineola's Historic Downtown District is open Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m.  The museum has more than 35 exhibits about the history of Mineola, Texas.  Admission is free however donations are appreciated. Parking is available in the rear of the building.  Group tours are available by request. 

The building was constructed in 1937 and is an excellent example of a Depression Era postal facility.  The City of Mineola purchased the building in 1998 for the purpose of creating a history museum and it received its Texas Historical Marker in 1999.  

Mayor Celia Boswell founded the Mineola Historical Museum Board of Directors in 1998.  Their stated purpose was to preserve the natural, historical, economic and cultural heritage of the area and eventually create public exhibits that would serve to increase understanding and appreciation of the diverse segments which have contributed to Mineola's unique heritage. 

After a ten-year journey, a long-awaited grand opening was held on September 9, 2009.  Despite heavy rain, over 400 people attended the ribbon-cutting, giving the new museum in the old Post Office their "stamp" of approval.  A decade of fund raisers, hard work and countless volunteer hours had given the citizens of Mineola a history museum that they could be very proud to have in their community. 

Today, walking through the front doors of the museum plunges one into a journey through the past, told through over 4,200 square feet of exhibits detailing the people, glory days and moments in time which have forged the town of Mineola. 

Mineola's Historic Downtown District is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the US Department of Interior. Listing in the National Register is a great honor and an achievement for a community. The Historical Museum is proud to be the "first" building to receive their National Register plaque and it is proudly displayed on the building since November 1, 2013.  

California artist, Bernard Zakheim, painted a post office mural in 1938 titled "The Horse and Buggy Give Way to Modern Methods of Mail Transportation" as part of the WPA Post Office Mural Project. Over the years, the mural was water-damaged and deteriorated but has been restored by the son and grandson of the original artist.  The mural is now on display in the Mineola Historical Museum for all to see. 

Other exhibits include a replica of The Select Theater complete with original movie projector, posters and equipment (above); a telegraph office exhibit; original post office boxes; mid-century doctor and dentist office replications; Mineola Independent School District memorabilia; segregated schools memorabilia; a display dedicated to watermelons that includes past watermelon festival and queens; military uniforms and collections; much, much more.    

Directions

Mineola Historical Museum
114 N Pacific
Mineola, TX 75773

See map: Google Maps