Texon, in Reagan County, traces its roots to the oil boom of the 1920s. On May 28, 1923, the Santa Rita No. 1 well came in, proving the Permian Basin held enormous petroleum reserves. The well was financed by the Texon Oil and Land Company, a Delaware corporation formed in 1919 by Houston investors who took a gamble on West Texas leases. The name “Texon” came from this company, which is why the nearby town carried it forward.
While Texon Oil and Land backed the discovery, it had limited capacity to manage the large-scale production that followed. For that reason, the Big Lake Oil Company was created in 1923–24 to develop the Santa Rita field. Big Lake Oil oversaw drilling, refining, and infrastructure in the area, and it also established the town of Texon as a “model company town.”
Life in Texon
In 1924, Texon was laid out with unusually high standards for an oilfield settlement. Workers and their families found homes, a school, a hospital, a grocery, a drug store, a theater, and even a swimming pool. Recreational life was a major focus. Baseball became the town’s passion, with the Texon Oiler team providing entertainment and community pride. Residents also enjoyed golf and polo—rare sights in the desert.
Texon thrived through the 1930s and 1940s, when its population hovered around 1,000 to 1,200. Annual Labor Day celebrations, Sunday school programs, and youth sports made it a true community, not just a work camp.
Changing Ownership
Big Lake Oil Company managed the field for only a few years before selling to Plymouth Oil Company in the mid-1920s. Plymouth maintained both oil operations and the company town. In 1962, Plymouth was absorbed by Marathon Oil, which had little interest in supporting a residential community. That same year, Marathon began removing or selling Texon’s buildings.
The town quickly declined. By the mid-1960s Texon was mostly dismantled, and its post office finally closed in 1986.
Today’s Texon
Texon is now considered a ghost town. A few houses remain occupied, but most structures are gone. Visitors can still see foundations, street markers, and relics scattered across the desert. The Santa Rita No. 1 well, capped long ago, remains an important historical landmark, often described as the birthplace of the Permian Basin boom.
Former residents and their families hold reunions, keeping alive the memory of Oiler baseball games, church gatherings, and the strong sense of community that once defined Texon.
Interesting Facts
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The town was named for the Texon Oil and Land Company, which financed the Santa Rita No. 1 well.
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Big Lake Oil Company built Texon in 1924 as a model company town with rare amenities such as a hospital, theater, and swimming pool.
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Texon’s Oiler baseball team and community celebrations are still remembered at annual reunions.
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