They have a small AMTRAK train station there. We've taken our kids, and later our grandkids, there to catch the train, then ride it over to Ft. Worth and spend the weekend there and do a few things, then ride the train again back to Mineola. Makes for a fun weekend, especially for kids who have never been on a train before.
My wife and I were married in Quitman, the Wood county seat, just up the road from Mineola. We went to the county clerk's office in the courthouse on the square and got a form, walked across the street to a medical clinic and got our blood tests done (this was many, many years ago
), took that back over to the clerk's office, paid $5 for our marriage license, took that and walked down to the basement of the courthouse to the JP's office. He asked us if we wanted the "basic legal" wedding, or the more "traditional" ceremony. We opted for the more formal "traditional" ceremony. That meant that in addition to the legal stuff, he had us repeat some pre-written vows, then he read a short Bible passage. This was while we stood in front of his desk, and he sat in his chair behind the desk. I gave him another $5 and we were done. That took all of about 60 seconds. His secretary served as our witness, and I remember she had to take a Kleenex and dab a tear from her eye before she could sign the form as the witness. So then we took the signed license back upstairs to the county clerk and had it filed. And just like that, we were officially in the books as "man and wife." From the time we pulled up to the courthouse as two single people to the time we left the courthouse as a married couple took well under one hour and cost me $22 total (the blood tests were $6 each)! Then we spent our honeymoon night just up the road in beautiful Sulphur Springs, Texas, at a little roadside motel that's now long gone (Chili's is there at that location now). I remember there were two old ladies working the desk that evening and they were both so excited when they found out this was our "honeymoon" night. They were sort of fussing with each other as to which would serve as their very best "honeymoon suite" for us!Yep, that's me. Just an old romantic softie!!!
Guess that wasn't too bad, though. That was almost 50 years ago and we're still going strong! Guess I got something right! 