Bug's Guidebook to Texas.

[Bugman]

With the new year, the series returns.

Luling is in Caldwell County about 50 miles south of Austin. Founded in 1874, Luling was a railroad town serving as the western terminus of the Sunset Branch of the Southern Pacific Railroad. The Chisholm Trail passed nearby, and the cowboys free-wheeling ways and disdain for authority earned Luling the nickname "The Toughest town in Texas." It was also a trade hub, with cotton, corn and turkeys as the main exports.

When the great cattle drives ended Luling was a sleepy little town of 500 until August 9, 1922. On that day Edgar B. Davis' Rahael Rios #1 blew in northwest of town, opening an oilfield twelve miles long and two miles wide. Almost overnight Luling mushroomed to 5,000 people. A tent city known as "Ragtown" sprang up next to the railroad tracks. There, one could find gambling dens, saloons and brothels.

While oil production peaked in the 1970's oil is still an important part of the region. Around two hundred working pump jacks are in the city limits.

 

[Bugman]

William Johnson was a farmer and Baptist minister. He brought his family to Texas in 1833, building this small cabin on Tenney Creek eleven miles east of Luling. The cabin was moved to Luling in 1972.

 

[osprey825]

Interesting factoid Bugman. Thanks for the information. I just checked the story a little further - Edgar Davis was a very interesting character. I worked in the oilfields for several years and am familiar with oil boom towns that spring up from the mud and turn into tough-ass towns.

 

[Bugman]

This oil rig was donated by Mobil Oil and erected by Luling Iron Works. Next, we'll visit the Oil Patch Museum.

 

[Bugman]

Interesting factoid Bugman. Thanks for the information. I just checked the story a little further - Edgar Davis was a very interesting character. I worked in the oilfields for several years and am familiar with oil boom towns that spring up from the mud and turn into tough-ass towns.

My pleasure. Yes, Davis was an intresting man, a very different man from many of the early oilmen of Texas.

 

[milagros317]

Very interesting, Bugman. Thanks for posting the photos and information. 😀

 

[Bugman]

The Central Texas Oil Patch Museum is housed in the historic Walker Brothers Building at 421 East Davis Street in downtown Luling.

Second picture: A working scale model of a Jensen pump jack.

Delivery wagons like this were still in use into the early 1940's.

A working model of Raphael Rios No. 1. It was built by a man named Norman Langely in 1929. Sorry, its a bit blurry.

 

[Bugman]

Very interesting, Bugman. Thanks for posting the photos and information. 😀

Glad you've enjoyed it. More pictures will be up soon.

 

[Bugman]

A collection of hardhats used over the years.

Next two: A scale model of a working drillng site.

Sorry about some of the pictures. I was probably standing too close. The museum has a lot packed into a small space and it can be hard to get much distance. Also, I'm not all that great with a camera but I'm working on it.

 

[Bugman]

"Visible" gas pumps like these are increasingly hard to find. The Texaco pump has been restored at some point.

 

[Bugman]

A replica of a gas station circa 1925.

Some tools used in the oil patch.

Core samples from various oilfields in Central Texas.

These pictures conclude our museum tour and visit to Luling.

 

[Bugman]

I don't normally do this, but I'm going to tack it on. A day of sightseeing provokes the appetite, and Luling and Lockhart (some 15 miles north) have been feuding for decades concerning which town has "The best BBQ in Texas." Passing through Lockhart on the way home I stopped at the legendery Black's BBQ. Founded in 1932, the restaurant is still owned and operated by family members. Black's is not inexpensive: Four large, meaty pork spare ribs (fall off the bone tender) with sides of beans, cole slaw and deviled eggs set me back almost $20 dollars. The beans are a cut above what one usually finds in a BBQ place here, the cole slaw just sweet enough and creamy. It was worth every penny. If you ever get near Lockhart, stop at Black's.