A photo rich in history hangs on the wall of City Hall of Arp, Texas. The remnants still stand on location as a reminder of an era gone by. An era marked by oilfields, make-shift drilling rigs, vast growth in population, hardships and promised wealth.
Yes, we are talking about the 1930 East Texas Oil Boom that started with the discovery of the Daisy Bradford #3 at Joinerville, Texas. The very one that caused derricks to spring up virtually overnight. And the very one equipment was being hauled in by mule-driven teams at first and shipped out through any means possible, be it wagons, trucks or aboard railroad tankards.
Another successful well near Arp was drilled by John G. Lewis. The location of the town, eighteen miles southeast of Tyler, Texas sits on a Union Pacific Railroad line and Texas Highway 135 which made it convenient for the shipping of the oil.
The McMurry Refining Company soon located in Arp after the success of that well and the population grew from 400 residents to 2,500. The refinery made the area a bustling bee hive of activity. Later, the refinery was purchased by Premier Refinery until abandoned in the 1950’s.
“The refinery was huge,” said Arp’s Mayor Terry Lowry. “What is left (of the buildings) is just a small portion of the size of that thing. The refinery had a shipping dock, a truck yard, a two-story office building, a gas station and a café at the same location. There was also a huge metal building, and the oil was held in big concrete tanks. As kids, we used to climb on them and play army and fish in the tanks. Back in the day there was a lot more than digital gadgets to keep kids occupied,” he laughingly said.
“In the 1970’s, I was in college at Abilene and when I came back everything about the refinery was gone; even the old gas station had caught on fire and was not rebuilt,” continued Mayor Lowry. “However, a photo of the refinery hangs in the City Hall to remind us of all of the rich history of our town.”
Today, some of the remnants of the refinery slightly covered in vines and overgrowth can be seen behind Zippo’s Liquor Store in Arp. According to the staff they are frequently asked about the concrete remains of the once industrious refinery and venture behind to take photos.
Jacob Birdsong, owner of a landscaping company, has purchased the site and built a privacy fence to prevent on-lookers from getting injured when he is not there working on clean up according to sources.
Last year, the old Premier Refinery caught the attention of producers of Expedition Texas and a segment was aired about the refinery and its townspeople. It can currently be viewed on U-tube at Expedition Texas – ET-1809-East Texas Oilfield: Part 3.
Arp may seem small, but it is rich in history. In Texas, that says it all.
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