Oil Springs Oil Field Discovery Well
Why it's listed
Off Farm Road 226, about four miles southeast of Woden, a small site in Nacogdoches County marks the spot where Lyne T. Barret drilled a well in 1866. Using an eight-foot auger powered by a steam engine, his Melrose Petroleum Company struck a six-inch oil vein at 106 feet on September 12, 1866. The well produced about ten barrels a day of a lubricating-grade oil nicknamed skunk oil for its odor. Barret could not raise enough financing to continue, and the field lay dormant for nearly twenty years. A new boom began in 1887, bringing dozens of wells, the town of Oil City, an early pipeline and a steel storage tank. Production fell around 1900 as Spindletop and other fields drew workers away. The nominated area covers only the Barret well site. Only a short length of well casing survives, and a park leased by the city holds two old storage tanks and oilfield artifacts. The form describes the site as deteriorating from lack of maintenance.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the site is where the first producing oil well in Texas was drilled in 1866. Oil Springs is also credited with the state's first oil boom town, first steel oil storage tanks and first oil pipeline. These developments are presented as pioneering steps in the Texas petroleum industry.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 77001461, listed November 23, 1977. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 4 mi. SE of Woden, Woden |
|---|---|
| County | Nacogdoches County |
| Listed | November 23, 1977 |
| Reference number | 77001461 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1866) |
| Architect / builder | L.T. Barret |
| Areas of significance | Industry, Engineering, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | National, State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as unoccupied and in good condition on the form, though the narrative says the site is deteriorating from lack of maintenance. Only a one-foot, eight-inch-diameter casing remains of the original well, and two old storage tanks stand in the park. |
| Acreage | 0.1 |
| Coordinates | 31.47255, -94.46759 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 77001461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q110000350
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.