For over a century, the Beckham Hotel & Ballroom has been a place of timeless beauty, full of rich history, and not so hidden away right in Mineola!
The hotel boasts a rich history from when it started as a ‘Railroad Hotel’ before being purchased by Mr. Beckham in 1926 after a fire attempted to destroy the hotel. Refurbished and back in action, the hotel returned as the New Beckham Hotel in 1928 and persevered through 1979. Now, decades later, guests are once again able to stay the night and enjoy a step back in time.
New owners, Chris & Sarah Butler, purchased the hotel in 2018 and began the process of bringing new life to the building, and creating a place for the local community and visitors from all over to enjoy a little slice of heaven.
“We came to Mineola for my birthday, the week after my birthday. And I’m directionally challenged. My husband told me to go right and I went left and we ended up in the the front door and we just kind of looked at it, thought it would be interesting,” said Sarah. “We had just finished our project in Farmersville, and so we called the realtor just for kicks to take a look and one thing led to another and we were able to make an offer that the owners accepted. 30 days later we moved to Mineola.”
Among the newest additions to the hotel include the Ironhorse Bar & Cigar Lounge, taking on a new role as a location to hang out at and enjoy time spent together with friends or soon-to-be friends when you visit. More than just the spaces inside, there is also a patio out the back where you can feel like you’ve escaped away from your troubles.
Live music can be expected each weekend, along with bourbon pairings, and poker nights. Multiple events rooms in the hotel can also be booked for your own events. These include places like the Ladies Parlor, the Liberty Lounge, and all the way up to the historic ballroom which can seat up to 180 people. Coming up later this year, there’s one more surprise coming to the Beckham hotel that is only going to make your experience even grander!
“This this year we will be opening the hotel restaurant again and so the restaurant will also be a part of the hotel operating together, which the last time that happened was again in 1979,” said Sarah. “For the first time in 50 plus years, those doors will be open. Hotel guests will be able to go through there when we have music events and so that people don’t have to go anywhere other than downtown Mineola for their whole weekend.”
You may remember that the longest owner of the hotel (after Mr. Beckham) was music teacher John DeFoore, who had his studio in what is now the Ladies Parlor. Even though Mr. DeFoore passed away in August of 2021, his legacy is still remembered with a plaque located in the lobby and with a suite named after him. His love for the hotel kept it alive for decades until it could continue to be revitalized.
The Beckham Hotel is located at 117 Commerce Street in Mineola.
The hotel is open for visitors to come enjoy the Ironhorse Bar & Cigar Bar on Thursdays from 4:00 PM - 10:00 PM, Fridays from 2:00 PM - 10:00 PM, & Saturdays from Noon - 10:00 PM.
The Beckham Hotel stands as a testament to Mineola’s rich cultural history and is worth the time to stop in, enjoy a drink, and catch a glimpse of the elegance and sophistication of a bygone era.
You can learn more about the Beckham Hotel and keep up with what’s going on by visiting their website here, or by checking out their Facebook page.
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