TEXAS HISTORICAL MARKER

COMMEMORATING THE SITE OF

J. H. McCLESKEY NO.1

DISCOVERY WELL OF THE RANGER OIL BOOM

THE TEXAS AND PACIFIC COAL COMPANY STRUCK OIL AT 1,000
FEET ABOUT 10 MILES EAST OF RANGER IN 1915. THIS EVENT
RAISED THE HOPES OF AREA RANCHERS, FARMERS, AND
BUSINESSMEN STRUGGLING TO SURVIVE AN ECONOMIC SLUMP
BROUGHT ON BY SEVERE DROUGHT AND BOLL WEEVIL RAVAGED
COTTON FIELDS. OIL EXPECTATIONS MOUNTED THEN SUBSIDED
WHEN SUBSEQUENT TEST-DRILLINGS TURNED UP DRY HOLES.

DESPERATE LOCAL LEADERS SOUGHT OUT TEXAS AND PACIFIC
COAL COMPANY GENERAL MANAGER WILLIAM KNOX GORDON IN
NEARBY THURBER TO HELP THEM CONTINUE THE SEARCH FOR
OIL. CONTRARY TO THE CONCLUSIONS OF SOME GEOLOGISTS,
GORDON BELIEVED OIL LAY MUCH DEEPER WITHIN THE EARTH
THAN THE DEPTH REACHED BY PREVIOUS TEST DRILLINGS.

GORDON AGREED TO DRILL TO A DEPTH OF 3,500 FEET AND ON
JULY 2, 1917, CONTRACTOR WARREN WAGNER BEGAN DRILLING
HERE ON J. H. McCLESKEY FARM. ON OCTOBER 17, 1917, AT A
DEPTH OF 3,432 FEET, McCLESKEY WELL NO. 1 HIT PAY SAND
AND ROARED IN WITH AN ESTIMATED DAILY FLOW OF 1,600
BARRELS OF OIL. THE WELL WAS PLUGGED ON MAY 18, 1920.

J. H. McCLESKEY WELL NO.1 SPARKED THE MUCH-HERALDED
WILD, AND PROLIFIC RANGER OIL BOOM THAT GAINED RANGER
INTERNATIONAL FAME AS THE TOWN WHOSE OIL WIPED OUT
CRITICAL OIL SHORTAGES DURING WORLD WAR I. ALLOWING
THE ALLIES TO "FLOAT TO VICTORY ON A WAVE OF OIL."

SESQUICENTENNIAL OF TEXAS STATEHOOD 1845-1895

Return to McCLESKEY Page 1

Return to the Society's HOMEPAGE

TOP OF PAGE