Gushers

Today I went to the Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum.  I know, long name.  Bear with me while I give you a history lesson.  The name "Spindletop" originates before the Civil War and a hill in Beaumont, TX was known as Spindletop Hill.  Alright, I'll skip to the interesting part.  The Gladys City Company was the first oil company to drill there in 1893, but nothing happened until 1901 when the famous Lucas Gusher blew.  Oil sprayed over 100 feet for nine days until it was capped.  So.. basically, the town of Beaumont prides itself on that one Gusher story.  (There is more to it, but I don't want to ramble and bore you) There's the Spindletop Restaurant, the Gusher Marathon and they have a billboard with the slogan "Gushing with fun since 1901" advertising for Beaumont.  The museum was like an old, small town just how it was back then.  People flooded the area when the Gusher blew and the population went from 5,000 to over 100,000 in a few days.  I thought the doctors office was neat, of course.  All of the equipment was from the early 1900's.  Can you imagine getting doctors care there?  I think the slip lamp is neat - bottom right side of the picture above.  All those that I work with will think that's interesting.  The medical field has come a long way!