Spindletop Letterbox


Spindletop Gusher

Placed By: Silver Eagle
Date: 03/09/03
Nearest Town: Beaumont, Tx.
County: Jefferson
Terrain Difficulty: Easy (flat, 400 yards RT)
Status: reported missing (07/04/07)

When the Spindletop Oilfield, discovered on a salt dome formation south of Beaumont, erupted on January 10, 1901, it marked the birth of the modern petroleum industry. The geyser, found by the Gladys City Oil, Gas, and Manufacturing Company at a depth of 1,139 feet, blew a stream of oil over 100 feet high until it was capped nine days later, and flowed an estimated 100,000 barrels a day. The discovery of the Spindletop oilfield had an almost incalculable effect on world, as well as Texas history. Eager to find similar deposits, investors spent billions of dollars throughout the Lone Star state in search of oil and natural gas. The cheap fuel they found helped to revolutionize American transportation and industry, thus making Texas famous for its "Texas Tea". Today you can visit the site of Spindletop and the city that sprung up around it at the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum. The museum is open for self-guided tours Tuesday-Sunday, 1:00-5:00 pm, and charges $2.50 for adults, $1.25 for children. This letterbox is hidden nearby in Tyrrell Park, which has gardens and nature trails. So come enjoy Texas history and then enjoy nature while looking for the letterbox.

Directions:

Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum is found at the intersection of University Drive and U.S. Highway 69-96-287 just south of Beaumont, which is about 90 miles east of Houston. Head south on 287, exit at the "Highland Ave.-Sulphur Dr." exit, proceed down the service road crossing Highland Avenue. At the first "U" turn underpass, turn left and proceed northbound about 1/4 mile to the entrance on the right. To get to Tyrrell Park, exit I10 at Walden Road and go south about 1 mile until it becomes Tyrrell Park Road. Continue another mile to the entrance of the park on the left. Park near the fountain in the Public Gardens parking lot on the left.

Clues:

Across from the fountain is an iron fence with a Birding & Nature Trail sign on it. Go right (south) along the fence a few yards to a driveway entrance. Enter here and walk east to the sidewalk trail in the garden area. Continue east for about 100 yards to the Birding & Nature Trail entrance on your right. Walk down this trail for about 200 paces and look for a group of three trees surrounded by palmetto plants on your right. The first tree has two branches growing over the trail pointing east. The second tree is small. The third tree is similar to the first and is hiding the box. Look at its base on the right (north) side under some dead branches. Please replace branches when done.

NOTE: Always take adequate precautions (such as prodding with a stick and/or wearing gloves) before reaching into dark crevasses and holes in the wild. Before you set out read the waiver of responsibility and disclaimer.

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Last updated on 07/08/2007

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