A walk down Mineola’s Main Street
Few West Texas communities have as lively a downtown district as Mineola does. In the late 1800s, Mineola was an old railroad town that became a major exporter of lumber, cotton and livestock for Wood County. But after it joined the national Main Street program in 1989, Mineola was revitalized as a tourist destination with new shops, restaurants and attractions in its downtown area. “This is a place to slow down and enjoy yourself,” says Danielle Vance, a five-year resident and manager for the Mineola Area Chamber of Commerce. “People have described it as a Hallmark town, which is very, very true.” With a local nature preserve, a highly rated school district and many diverse dining options, Mineola is a historic main street community that has it all.
Over 50 businesses in Mineola’s historic downtown
The downtown historic district has red brick roads and all kinds of businesses along West Broad Street. “We have several wonderful mom-and-pop stores,” Vance says. “We have restaurants, antiques, boutiques, ice cream, cheesecake, barbecue – all of it is in our small downtown area.” There are over 30 shops found along North Pacific Street, with The Shoppes at Mineola anchored by a Dollar Tree and an AutoZone and the Stonebriar Shopping Center having an Aaron’s furniture store. More than 20 local restaurants feature a variety of cuisines, whether it’s CowBurners BBQ & Taproom, the East Texas Burger Company or Val’s Italian Restaurant. There’s also a handful of grocery stores between Walmart, Brookshire’s and Dollar General.
A mix of older and newer homes built on acreage
Most homes are on city blocks east and west of North Pacific Street. “There’s all kinds of homes,” Vance says. “A lot of older houses are going to be close to downtown, but we also have several new builds in the area and have even more coming.” Cracked streets with potholes lead to 1,000-square-foot houses built in the 1940s with worn brick and wood exteriors, costing $50,000 to $100,000. Traditional, split-level and ranch-style homes with up to 1-acre lots and wooden fences are more common with prices of $100,000 to $400,000. Newer homes that are 2,000 to 3,000 square feet on the outskirts have large trees and 5-to-20-acre lots, ranging from $400,000 to $950,000.
Equestrian trails, playgrounds and a mini train
The biggest recreational offering in Mineola is the nature preserve on the southeast side of town, where visitors can go horseback riding on over 2,900 acres of terrain and equestrian trails. The Mineola Civic Center has a playground, splash park, tennis and pickleball courts, and the Mineola Country Club has a public nine-hole course with a golfing simulator. The 5-acre Iron Horse Square has a locomotive-themed playground and a mini-train that runs April through August, and the Mineola Historical Museum has 35 exhibits on the town’s history. Plus, there are several churches along the main highway, with the First Baptist Church celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2025.
Fiestas, festivals and farmers’ markets
Fiesta Del Mayo brings salsa, mariachi and pepper-eating contests downtown over the summer, while the Music In May series brings a new musical act to the town gazebo every Thursday throughout the month. The Mineola Farmers Market also kicks off at the Front Street pavilion in May and lasts through October. Texas chefs compete to see who can make the best okra dish at Okrapalooza, and guests always look forward to Weiner dog races, pie-baking and watermelon-eating contests at The Iron Horse Heritage Festival. Magical Mineola brings snow hills, mini train rides and a tree lighting ceremony to town every holiday season.
A new primary school, plus career and technical education
The Mineola Independent School District earns an A-minus on Niche and was rated the top school district in Wood County. Mineola Primary School also has an A-minus and finished a new 77,000-square-foot campus in 2024. Mineola Intermediate earns a B-plus. Mineola Middle School has an A-minus and an 11-to-1 student-teacher ratio. The A-rated Mineola High School offers career and technical education and has a 95% graduation rate.
An AMTRAK through the old train station
Dallas is about 85 miles west when driving on U.S. Route 80, while Shreveport is around 120 miles east. Tyler is 25 miles southeast when taking U.S. Route 69, while Quitman is 9 miles north on Texas State Highway 37. The Mineola Station is an old train depot from the 1900s with an AMTRAK that takes passengers to Chicago, San Antonio and Los Angeles. The 24-hour CHRISTUS Emergency Care Center is 15 miles southeast in Lindale.
