I had never been to the Spindletop/Gladys City Boomtown Museum.
This museum is set up to represent the boomtown of Gladys City that sprang up in 1901 when oil was discovered in Beaumont, TX. After oil sprayed the air for nine days, folks were clamoring to be a part of it. Land was actually sold in 1/64 lots. Derricks were lined so close together that it looked like a forest. One could actually cross from one to the other without having to touch the ground!
At the museum you can watch a seven minute film and read about the discovery. Outside they have replica buildings of the boomtown. You can see the machine shop, the saloon, the dry goods store, the post office, the general store, the photographer, the surveyors and even the livery stable/undertaker! Today, they were even going to spray water out of the derrick to re-enact the gushing of the oil!
That I'd like to see.
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