Good thing the EPA wasn’t at the Spindletop Gusher in 1901.
Spindletop! Where Oil Became an Industry!
I just had to say that—it was the title given to every school kid in Beaumont (TX) in 1951 to write an essay. I was in the 8th grade at the time. I’m afraid most of us had no idea of the importance of the Lucas gusher to our town.
The gusher blew in in January of 1901. It was quite spectacular. There’s one old photograph of the gusher blowing into the air that was reproduced into poster size and plastered all over town during the week long celebration.