Albany in Shackelford County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

The Cook Ranch Oil Field

(5 mi. NW, on FM 1084)

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

1. The Cook Ranch Oil Field Marker

Inscription. William Ivy Cook (1857-1923) and his wife Matilda moved to this county in 1895. With a brother-in-law, J.H. Nail, Cook purchased a 27.75-section ranch. The Cooks bought out Nail in 1898, and have owned the ranch ever since. During the 1918 Breckinridge and Ranger booms, Cook sold leases but prophesied he could drink from his hat all of the oil under his land. In 1925 his widow leased all open acreage to Charles Roeser, Tol Pendleton, and Marshall R. Young, of Roeser & Pendleton, Inc. This firm’s second well in 1926 struck oil at 1241 feet and flowed at 1000 barrels a day. This prolific flow of oil at such a shallow depth has been one of Cook Ranch Field’s remarkable features. Commercial low pressure gas injection was started on the ranch in 1927 and helped elevate recovery standards internationally.
With the oil wealth, Mrs. Cook founded the W.I. Cook Memorial Hospital in Fort Worth in 1929.
Cook Field enriched Albany and its trade area by expanding petroleum-related business activities. Of the 1087 wells drilled on the ranch, 825 yielded oil and four gas. Production has now exceeded thirty million barrels. Marshall R. Young remains owner of the oil firm.

Erected 1976 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 1052.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1895.

Location. 32° 43.061′ N, 99° 18.066′ W. Marker is in Albany, Texas, in Shackelford County. It is at the intersection of U.S. 180 and U.S. 283, on the right when traveling east on U.S. 180. Marker is located at the north side of Spudder Park next to the oil drilling rig exhibit. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Albany TX 76430, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Big Country.

Globally,

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it is in North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the Comanchería,

the Republic of Texas,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Shackelford County (within shouting distance of this marker); Robert Edward Nail, Jr. (approx. 0.4 miles away); Jackson Warehouse (approx. 0.4 miles away); White Elephant Saloon (approx. 0.4 miles away); Hartfield Building (approx. 0.4 miles away); a different marker also named Shackelford County (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Rev. John Brown, Clara Barton and the 1886-1887 Drought Relief (approx. 0.4 miles away); First Producing Oil Well in West Texas (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Albany.

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

2. The Cook Ranch Oil Field Marker

Next to oil drilling rig exhibit in Spudder Park

View to East Towards US 180 / US 283 Intersection image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

3. View to East Towards US 180 / US 283 Intersection

View to South Across US 180 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

4. View to South Across US 180

View to West Along US 180 image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

5. View to West Along US 180

View to North from Spudder Park image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Duane Hall, December 29, 2014

6. View to North from Spudder Park

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on December 31, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,604 times since then and 123 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 31, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.