125th Anniversary celebration planned at museum
On August 16, 1892, the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company was incorporated. Eight days later, on August 24, 1892, it was chartered by the state of Texas. Spindletop Gladys City Boomtown Museum will honor this occasion with cake and a gusher on August 26 at 10 a.m. The gusher will blow at noon. Cake will be served while supplies last.
The gusher will blow at noon. The blacksmith will be working in the Southern Carriage Works from 10 a.m. to noon. In lieu of admissions, donations will be accepted. Last admission is at 4:20 p.m. and the store will close at 4:30 p.m.
The company was organized by Pattillo Higgins in 1892 with the backing of G.W. O’Brien, G.W. Carroll, and J.F. Lanier. It was the first company formed to drill for oil at Spindletop. It was Higgins’ determination to prove there was oil at Spindletop that brought Capt. Anthony Lucas to Beaumont. Higgins named the company for Gladys Bingham, a little girl in his Sunday school class whose picture appeared on the company’s first stock certificates.
Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown is a replica of the boomtown that grew up around the Spindletop oil fields in the early 1900s. Located on US 69 at Jimmy Simmons Blvd in Beaumont, the museum is open Tuesday – Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. – 5 p.m. The usual entrance fee is $5 for adults, $3 for senior citizens and $2 for children under 12.
For more information contact the museum at 409-880-1750 or by email at gladyscityinfo@gmail.com.
