Texon

Early travelers along many historic trails in this area found the region arid and inhospitable. Given (1876) to the University of Texas, the lands around this marker were leased to cattlemen. The Kansas City, Mexico & Orient Railroad built its line here in 1911, but did little local hauling. Development came after Frank Pickrell and Haymon Krupp of Texon Oil and Land Company drilled for oil. Their driller, Carl Cromwell, brought in Santa Rita No. 1, the first gusher in the Permian Basin, on May 28, 1923. Texon, first company town in the Permian Basin, was founded in 1924 by Big Lake Oil Company. Levi Smith, president of the firm, planned and supervised building of the town, and Ted Williams served as city manager for the company. Texon had stores, shops, a school, a physician, a dentist, a hospital, a theater, a park, a well-known baseball team, and many facilities for recreation. The post office opened in 1926. As many as 2,000 people lived here -- boosters claimed up to 10,000 -- manning the drilling, a gasoline plant, an oil treating plant, and other operations. Plymouth Oil Company absorbed Big Lake Oil Company, then sold out to Marathon Oil Company. The company town was closed in 1962.

Texon is a historical marker in Big Lake, Reagan County, dedicated in 1977. It is one of 12 historical markers documented in Reagan County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 15 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 31.2333, -101.6912 near Big Lake. The nearest cataloged historic site is Santa Rita No. 1 (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Gardner, John Place, Reagan County, and Stiles.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5383005440. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.