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Wednesday, January 11, 2017

The Spindletop strike marks the beginning of America's oil boom.



Today this happened in the past

January 10, 1901—The Spindletop strike marks the beginning of America's oil boom.




The Spindletop strike changed the future for American energy, the economy of Texas, along with the entire United States. On January 10, 1901, an explosion of oil in a gigantic gusher erupted from a salt dome formation located near Beaumont, Texas.

The gusher became known as the "Lucas Spindletop Gusher," the massive eruption of oil lasted for nine days, reached a height of 200 feet, and produced 100,000 barrels of oil a day. Up to 50,000 came out to witness the spectacular find that would change the tiny Beaumont Texas forever, its population gushed too, from 8,000 to 60,000 within a year. By 1902 over 250 wells were operating on Spindletop Hill and over 600 oil companies had been chartered.






 Into the 1920's as more oil was found in Texas Boom towns would spring up in days.









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