Brownfield in Terry County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Oil and Gas

Rich Heritage

— Hamilton Park —

Oil and Gas Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Doda, May 10, 2020

1. Oil and Gas Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

I am the land. Wildcatters, oil derricks, roughnecks, and pump jacks. They brought hidden oil and gas treasures to the surface.

Indians used oil found floating on water in East Texas for medicinal purposes and the survivors of the DeSoto expedition used oil to caulk boats in 1543 near Sabine Pass. The first oil well was drilled in Nacogdoches County, Texas in 1866 and others followed throughout the eastern half of Texas, but the oil industry was really launched in 1901 when the great Spindletop gusher erupted near Beaumont. New terms and images included the risk taking, go- for-broke wildcatter, the hard-working and hard playing roughneck, and the newly rich oil man.

Discoveries in the 1920s in West Texas led to the widespread development of oil and gas throughout the Permian Basin that was centered around Midland and Odessa. The Permian Basin extends north to include Terry County where the first well was drilled in 1940 in the southern part of the Slaughter field. This well, Jacobson #1, tested at 828 barrels of 32-gravity oil per day. The crude, not too heavy, not too light, meant development of my

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fields, where both oil and gas were to be found, would be profitable. Oil is trucked to refineries to produce gasoline for cars and tractors, and the gas is piped for processing to be used to heat homes, produce electricity, and to be converted into liquefied gas.

Today, over 2,000 oil and gas wells produce over 4 million barrels of oil and almost 2 million cubic feet of gas per year. Thus, oil and gas make a major contribution to our economy and new technology is contributing to continued production.

Erected 2005.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1543.

Location. 33° 11.685′ N, 102° 16.507′ W. Marker is in Brownfield, Texas, in Terry County. Marker is on Lubbock Road (U.S. 62), on the right when traveling south. The marker is on the grounds of Hamilton Park. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Brownfield TX 79316, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Business (here, next to this marker); Farming (here, next to this marker); Ranching (a few steps from this marker); Law and Order (a few steps from this marker); Religion, Education, and Medicine (a few steps from this marker); Flora and Fauna (a few steps

Oil and Gas Marker detail image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Craig Doda, May 10, 2020

2. Oil and Gas Marker detail

from this marker); Patriotism (a few steps from this marker); The Land (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Brownfield.

Photographed By Craig Doda, May 10, 2020

3. Oil and Gas Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on January 14, 2021. It was originally submitted on January 12, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. This page has been viewed 96 times since then and 7 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on January 12, 2021, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.