Corsicana in Navarro County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
First Commercial Oil Discovery in Texas
water well that led to the oil discovery
(Upside down text)
This pipe denotes the location of the first
commercial oil discovery in Texas
Erected by Corsicana Preservation Foundation.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Industry & Commerce.
Location. 32° 5.371′ N, 96° 27.848′ W. Marker is in Corsicana, Texas, in Navarro County. Marker can be reached from 400 Block of South 12th Street, on the right when traveling north. Located between West 7th Avenue and West 10th Avenue. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Corsicana TX 75110, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Birthplace of the Petroleum Industry (here, next to this marker); Magnolia Cannon (a few steps from this marker); Birthplace of the Texas Oil Industry (within shouting distance of this marker); Old Welding Shop of H. C. Nicol (within shouting distance of this marker); Collin Street Bakery (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Capt. Charles Henry Allyn (approx. 0.2 miles away); From Steam to Electric Rail (approx. 0.2 miles away); Early Texas Natural Gas Pipelines (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Corsicana.
Regarding First Commercial Oil Discovery in Texas. Although it is less familiar to the public than the later, larger fields in Texas, such as the Spindletop Field, East Texas Oil Field, and the Permian Basin Field, the Corsicana Oil Field was the first large field west of the Mississippi River and provided the technology which made later fields possible.
(National Register of Historic Places)
Also see . . .
1. Texas State Historical Association; Oil and Texas: A Cultural History. ... City crews in Corsicana were also drilling for water in 1894, when they made the first economically significant oil discovery in Texas. That well was abandoned because the drillers needed to find water, not oil. But several producing oil wells were drilled in 1895 by Joseph S. Cullinan, who later helped found the Texas Company, which became Texaco. The first well-equipped refinery in Texas was built at this field, and despite the early efforts at Nacogdoches, it is usually called Texas' first refinery. ... (Submitted on November 6, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
2. Texas State Historical Association;Corsicana Oilfield. Corsicana field is an elliptical-shaped oil and gas producing area located in and around Corsicana in central Navarro County. It is significant because it was the first Texas field to produce oil and gas in important quantities. ... (Submitted on November 6, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on November 5, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina. This page has been viewed 526 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on November 6, 2012, by Mike Stroud of Bluffton, South Carolina.