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.
The Cook Ranch Oil Field. (5 mi. NW, on FM 1084). 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 and 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.
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
Click or scan to see this page online
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. Marker 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.
3. View to East Towards US 180 / US 283 Intersection
Photographed By Duane Hall, December 29, 2014
4. View to South Across US 180
Photographed By Duane Hall, December 29, 2014
5. View to West Along US 180
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 698 times since then and 89 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 31, 2014, by Duane Hall of Abilene, Texas.