Lake Houston in Harris County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Moonshine Hill
This area, known as the Moonshine Hill section of the great Humble oil field, became the site of a boom town. Within months of the 1905 discovery, the population of the Moonshine Hill settlement increased to 10,000. Early operations associated with the site included the Moonshine Oil Company of Walter Sharp, Ed Prather, and Howard R. Hughes.
Although tents comprised most of the early structures, Moonshine Hill eventually included a church, school, postal station, stores, hotels, and saloons. Despite three separate boom eras, the last occurring in 1929, Moonshine Hill declined as a community. Its brief existence, however, had a dramatic impact on the economic development of Humble and Houston.
Erected 1986 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 10733.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1887.
Location. 29° 59.971′ N, 95° 14.03′ W. Marker is in Houston, Texas, in Harris County. It is in Lake Houston. Marker is on Farm to Market Road 1960, 0.3 miles east of Moonshine Hill Road, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Humble TX 77338, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lambrecht's Artesian Well (approx. 1.4 miles away); Humble Cemetery (approx. 1˝ miles away); Joseph Dunman (approx. 1˝ miles away); First United Methodist Church of Humble (approx. 1˝ miles away); Humble Independent School District (approx. 1.6 miles away); Trees of Knowledge (approx. 1.8 miles away); Humble Lodge No. 979, A.F. & A.M. (approx. 1.8 miles away); Pangburn Building (approx. 1.8 miles away).
More about this marker. Be careful, this is a heavily trafficked highway. Approach the marker from the east. There's a small pull-off immediately past the marker.
Regarding Moonshine Hill. Humble Oil and Refining Company which later marked gasoline as Esso and Enco then merged with Standard Oil of New Jersey and became Exxon began in Humble, Texas and Moonshine Hill was part of it's original oil fields.
Also see . . . Moonshine Hill in The Handbook of Texas. (Submitted on January 29, 2013, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 29, 2013, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. This page has been viewed 3,724 times since then and 133 times this year. Last updated on September 4, 2018, by Brian Anderson of Humble, Texas. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 29, 2013, by Jim Evans of Houston, Texas. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.