Texon, Texas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Texon is a small unincorporated town in Reagan County, Texas, United States, in the western part of the state. The town is noted for its boom as an oil town and subsequent near abandonment.
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[edit] Population and location
The population in 1996 was estimated at less than 10. At its peak in 1933, the town had approximately 1,200 inhabitants. [1] The town is located in Reagan County. It is 3 /10 mile (0.5 km) south of Highway 67 on FM 1657 (farm to market road).[2][3] It is 85 miles west of San Angelo, Texas. [1]
[edit] History
The town originates from May 23, 1923 when oil was discovered.[3] The town was named the Texon Oil and Land Company, which drilled the first successful oil well. Texon’s leases were subsequently purchased by M. L. Benedum and Joe Trees of Pittsburgh, who formed the Big Lake Oil Company.[1]
Texon was considered a model oil community. A grade school, a church, a hospital, a theater, a golf course, tennis courts, and a swimming pool were built by the Big Lake Oil Company. The Texon Oilers, a semiprofessional baseball team was started. Privately owned businesses began including a drug store, a cafe, a boarding house, a tailor-shop, dry-goods and grocery stores, barber and beauty shops, a service station, a dairy, an ice house, and a bowling alley.[1]
Ownership passed on to successive oil companies including Plymouth Oil Company (in 1956) and Ohio Oil (now Marathon Oil) in 1962 which chose not to maintain the town, which had, at that time 100 residents. In 1986, the post office was closed.[1]
[edit] Limited redevelopment
There are historical markers in the town. There are new reflective type street signs and new mailboxes. There is also some activity in some of the oil wells.[2]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e Jane Spraggins Wilson. Handbook of Texas Online - TEXON, TX. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
- ^ a b John Troesser. Texon, a West Texas Ghost Town.. Texas Escapes - Blueprints For Travel, LLC. Retrieved on 22 January 2008.
- ^ a b Henry Chenoweth. Texon - Texas Ghost Town. Atjeu LLC. Retrieved on January 22, 2008.
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