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Thurber Texas historic marker sign with text sign signage text attraction coal destination display education information landmark marker mine word attractive E. L. Marston educating Erath County famous fuel H. K. Thurber Harvey Johnson historical marker Historical Site Historical Sites info Joseph E. Seagram and Sons Inc. mining Place of Interest Places of Interest popular road side Road sign Road Signs Roadside Robert D. Hunter signs Texas and Pacific Coal Company Texas and Pacific Railroad tour tourist attraction Tourist Destination Tourist Destinations travel Travel Destination Travel Destinations W. W. Johnson William K. Gordon United States appealing energy Jason O. Watson / historical-markers.org industry no people tourism United States of America attract business history nobody blue sky destinations displays historic markers landmarks markers mines South appeal color image educate historic outdoor vertical words clear sky famousness historical markers road sides tourist attractions tours colour image historical outside sky TX day US blue skies color images day-time outdoors USA verticals clear skies colour images daytime outsides U.S. skies day time U.S.A. daylight natural light historic site |
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THURBER
Most important mine site in Texas for 30 years. Coal here, probably known to Indians, was "discovered" in 1886 by W. W. Johnson, who with his brother Harvey sold out to Texas and Pacific Coal Company in 1888. (T. and P. Coal Company provided fuel for the Texas and Pacific Railroad, but was independently owned.)
Town was named for H. K. Thurber, friend of T. and P. Coal Company founders. Most dynamic firm member was Robert D. Hunter (1833-1902), developer of 7 of 15 mines. Next president was E. L. Marston, Hunter's son-in-law, who left mining largely to William K. Gordon (1862-1949), an engineer who brought daily output to 3,000 tons.
Then in 1917, Gordon (backed by management of coal company) was primarily responsible for discovery of Ranger oil field, 20 miles west. Adoption of oil- burning railway locomotives cut demand for coal. Last mine here closed in 1921, and the 10,000 or more inhabitants of Thurber began to move away.
The coal firm changed its name to Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company and was sold in 1963 to Joseph E. Seagram and Sons, Inc., for $277,000,000.00. Renamed Texas Pacific Oil Company, it is now one of largest independent domestic energy suppliers. Much coal (by estimate 127,000,000 tons) remains underground. (1969) |