Oil Springs Oil Field Discovery Well
historic place
Oil Springs, located in Nacogdoches County near Woden, marks a significant point in Texas history. The area's natural oil seeps were known to Native Americans for medicinal uses, a practice later adopted by early settlers. In late 1859, Lyne Taliaferro Barret leased land here and began drilling, but the Civil War paused his efforts. After the war, in 1865, Barret and his partners formed the Melrose Petroleum Oil Company. On September 12, 1866, Barret struck oil at a depth of 106 feet. This well produced about ten barrels a day, becoming Texas's first commercially producing oil well. The site also pioneered Texas's first oil refining attempt, its first commercial oilfield, and the state's first steel storage tanks and pipeline. The Texas State Historical Survey Committee placed a marker here in 1967, commemorating these foundational achievements in the Texas oil industry.