History of Spindletop
By:Michelle Mayes
Spindletop Overview
January 10, 1901 was the day an enormous amount of oil boomed from spindle top. The Industrial Revolution caused a demand of oil since it was a cheaper and more efficient form of fuel than coal. Natives have had knowledge on the black liquid for centuries. They often used it for medicine. Many discoveries of oil had been made, but not to the extent of spindle top. The amount of oil that spewed out of the drill was overwhelming. Patillo Higgins was the first person who assumed the amount of oil at spindle top. Higgins arranged the Gladys city Oil Company in 1892. Drilling at Spindle top started in October 1900. Obstacles with the ground conditions were resolved by putting mud down the hole to make drilling easier. On January 10 mud began to come out of the hole in the drill. Oil ejected out of the hole about 150 feet in the air. The oil boom quickly created close to 100,000 barrels of oil a day. After the boom many people went to West Texas trying to find an abundance of oil themselves. The demand for oil rapidly grew. In the first year Spindle top produced about 3.5 million barrels of oil. Spindle top later affected World War l. The oil boom expanded the railroad industry and the creation of automobiles. Today oil is still used to create many products. The demand of oil since the boom has increased tremendously.
Spindletop
Spindletop
Spindletop
Timeline of Important Events
Products Made From Oil
· Ping pong paddles
· Purses
· Deodorant
· Shoes
· Volleyballs
· Lipstick
· Rubber boots
· Glue
· Shoe polish
· Ribbon
· Computer
· Movie film
· Brush
· Lip balm
· Golf balls
· Dice
· Contacts
· Dentures
· Dresses
· Shirts
· Maps
· Bandages
· Toothpaste
· Roller-skates
· Ink
· Trash bags
· Umbrella
· Wheels
· Hair curlers
· Perfume