Mineola Fire Department

Duane's take

Here's my telling of what the official marker has to say about the Mineola Fire Department. Now, every town has its trials, and Mineola had its share — but let me tell you, fire had a particular grudge against this place. It starts in the 1870s, when the Texas and Pacific and the International and Great Northern railroads both came pushing lines through this part of Wood County.

Mineola ended up sitting right at the juncture of the two. That kind of crossroads location means growth, and growth means buildings, and buildings — well, buildings burn. Sometime in the 1880s, on a single night, a reported eighteen downtown buildings went up in flames.

Eighteen. Houses, businesses, a Masonic temple — all of it. The people of Mineola rebuilt, and they built smart this time — brick.

But brick only goes so far when sparks are still flying and there's no organized way to fight back. By 1906, city officials installed a fire gong out at the city well, something to use as an alarm when the next one broke out. And the city council started talking about forming a hook and ladder company.

Talking is a fine start. The next year — 1907 — several men went ahead and did something about it. They organized the Mineola Fire Company.

Volunteer outfit, no official connection to the city government, just men who decided somebody had to be ready. They received their first firefighting equipment in 1908, and from there the company kept growing — chemical trucks, hose trucks, membership requirements taking shape. Then in 1924, the city finally adopted the fire company as an official department and purchased an American La France fire engine.

You'd think that'd be cause for some calm. It was not. Between 1924 and 1928, the city experienced several disastrous fires — including one in 1926 that got bad enough that firefighters had to be called in from Tyler and Winnsboro to help.

Having a department didn't mean the fire took the hint. So the city kept building. R.D.

Adrian received the contract to put up a proper fire station, and it was completed in 1932. That station gave them equipment storage, a meeting room — and a jail, which tells you something about the practical spirit of a small Texas town. By the mid-1940s, the city was paying insurance on all the firemen, who were still volunteers, every one of them.

That changed in 1954, when the city hired its first paid firefighters. A decade after that, in 1964, the department started holding annual rodeos for the community — because around here, serving your neighbors doesn't stop at the fire line. Over the past several decades, the city has expanded the department and sent its workers to training in firefighting and all manner of emergency and rescue work.

From a gong hanging at a city well to a full trained department — Mineola didn't stop building until the job was done. It just took a few fires to get there.

What the marker says

In the 1870s, the Texas & Pacific and International & Great Northern railroads built lines through this area, with the town of Mineola serving as the eventual juncture of the two. Fire was one of many challenges faced by early local inhabitants of the new town; on a single night in the 1880s, a reported eighteen downtown buildings burned, including houses, businesses and a Masonic temple. Residents built new brick structures, but the threat of fire remained. In 1906, officials installed a fire gong at the city well to use as an alarm, and the city council began discussing the formation of a hook and ladder company. The next year, several men organized the Mineola Fire Company, a volunteer group with no connection to the city government, which received its first firefighting equipment in 1908. The volunteer company continued to grow over the next several years, adding chemical and hose trucks, and developing membership requirements. The city adopted the fire company as an official department in 1924 and purchased an American La France fire engine. Between that year and 1928, the city experienced several disastrous fires, including one in 1926 that required assistance from Tyler and Winnsboro firefighters. R.D. Adrian received the contract to build a fire station, completed in 1932. It provided fire equipment storage space, a meeting room and a jail. By the mid-1940s, the city paid insurance on all firemen, who remained volunteers. In 1954, the city hired its first paid firefighters. Ten years later, the department began holding annual rodeos for the community. Over the past several decades, the city has expanded the department and sent its workers to training in firefighting and other emergency and rescue procedures. (2005)