Texon, Texas facts for kids
Texon is a very small place in Reagan County, Texas, in the western part of the United States. It's called an unincorporated area, which means it doesn't have its own local government like a city or town. Texon is also a hamlet, which is just a tiny village.
This little desert community was once a busy oil boomtown. A boomtown is a place that grows super fast because of a sudden discovery, like oil or gold. But now, Texon is almost empty. There might only be one or two homes left, and no stores or services.
Where is Texon Located?
Texon is in Reagan County, Texas. It's about half a mile south of U.S. Route 67. You can find it on a road called RM 1675. Texon is about 85 miles west of a bigger city named San Angelo, Texas.
At its busiest in 1933, Texon had around 1,200 people living there. But by 1996, the population had dropped to less than 10 people.
Texon's Oil History
Texon started on May 28, 1923, when oil was first found there. The town got its name from the Texon Oil and Land Company. This company drilled the very first successful oil well in a huge area called the Permian Basin. This famous well was named the Santa Rita.
On December 4, 1928, the Texon Oil Company drilled another important well called Santa Rita University 1-B. This well was super deep for its time, going down 8,525 feet! Later, two men named M. L. "Mike" Benedum and Joe Trees bought Texon's oil leases and started the Big Lake Oil Company.
A Model Oil Town
The Big Lake Oil Company wanted Texon to be a great place to live. They built many things for the people who worked there and their families. They built a school, a church, a hospital, and even a theater. For fun, there was a swimming pool, a golf course, and tennis courts.
The town even had its own semi-professional baseball team called the Texon Oilers! Many private businesses also opened up. These included a drug store, a cafe, a place to stay called a boarding house, a tailor shop, grocery stores, barber and beauty shops, a gas station, a dairy, an ice house, and a bowling alley.
Changes Over Time
Over the years, different oil companies owned Texon. In 1956, Plymouth Oil Company took over, and then in 1962, Ohio Oil (which is now Marathon Oil) became the owner. By then, only about 100 people lived in Texon. The new owners decided not to keep up the town. In 1986, the post office in Texon closed down.
When oil was first taken out of the ground in the 1920s, some of the leftover water was put onto the land. This caused a lot of damage to the plants and soil. Even today, you can still see the marks on the land from satellite pictures. Efforts are still being made to clean up the area.
Texon Today
Even though Texon is mostly empty, there have been some small efforts to remember its past. Historical markers have been put up in the town. New street signs and mailboxes have also been added. Some of the old oil wells are still active today.
