Redbarn, Texas: The Oil Boomtown Built Around a Barn

Redbarn, sometimes written as Red Barn, was a short-lived oil boomtown in eastern Pecos County, Texas. It lay about three miles south of Iraan, near the Ira G. Yates ranch, and developed rapidly after the discovery of oil in 1926 at the Yates Oil Field.

Origins

The settlement took its name from a large red barn located near the Yates ranch house. As oil crews arrived to work the new field, the barn was converted into a boarding house to provide lodging for workers. This unusual feature gave the community both its name and its identity.

Growth During the Oil Boom

The barn became a central gathering place, and shacks, tents, and other temporary housing were soon added around it. In 1928, a post office was established under the name “Red Barn,” marking the settlement as more than just a work camp.

The original barn eventually burned, but Redbarn continued to exist for some years afterward. Additional businesses appeared, including a hotel, a café, a filling station, and a general store. Despite these amenities, the community remained small and overshadowed by Iraan, a planned town laid out in 1926 that grew into the permanent hub of the region.

Decline and Abandonment

Redbarn never supported a large population. Census estimates put the number of residents at about 25 in 1933 and roughly 75 in 1945. It lacked the infrastructure and permanence of Iraan, and as oil activity stabilized, workers and businesses shifted north.

The Red Barn post office was discontinued in 1952, and by that time the town was effectively abandoned. Today, only traces such as foundations remain, and the site is remembered in local history as one of the many oil boom settlements that sprang up and disappeared within a generation.

Key Facts

• Location: 3 miles south of Iraan, Pecos County, Texas.

• Named for: A red barn on the Ira Yates ranch, converted to a boarding house for oilfield workers.

• Established: Around 1926, after the Yates Oil Field discovery.

• Post Office: Established in 1928, discontinued in 1952.

• Population: About 25 in 1933; about 75 in 1945.

• Status: Abandoned by 1952; considered a Texas ghost town.