MINEOLA, Texas — For nearly 100 years, Mineola Country Club stood tall as a fixture of Wood County. But it only took one night for that all to come burning down.
"Goodness… so I had Easter egg hunts out here, Easter buffets growing up, I played golf, swam in the swimming pool, my rehearsal dinner for my wedding was here … it’s a lot," said Mineola resident Robin Averett.
Mineola Fire Marshal David Madsen said the fire at the country club spread quickly early Monday morning because of the building's age.
"The building was built back in the late 20s, early 30s, and it had been burning for a little while before we got the call," Madsen said. "It had a pretty good head start before we got here."
The age of the building may have helped the fire spread as quickly as it did, but it’s also what made the club so special and a staple of the Mineola community for nearly a century.
"I’ve been a member here for 49 years, so my entire life. My grandparents joined in 1935, my mom and dad were members until their passing, so we’ve had a long history at this club," Averett said.
Averett was just one part of the outpouring of support at the club Monday. Multiple members stopped by to check out the remains of their favorite summer hangout – seeing the damage, meeting with friends and speaking with management.
"Matter of fact I pulled up I thought, ‘man this thing is more crowded than it was when we were open,’" said Bill Stone, Mineola Country Club vice president.
Stone added the club isn’t going to remain closed for the rest of the summer.
In the wake of damage at the clubhouse and restaurant, the plan is to get an RV, which will be converted into a half clubhouse and half snack shack until a new permanent site is built.