Oil City

Oil City, on Big Creek in southwestern Hutchinson County, was originally known as Ingerton when it was a rural school located on the Henry Yake ranch. During the Panhandle oil boom of the 1920s, a small camp called Oil City sprang up and grew as a stop on the Chicago, Rock Island and Gulf line between Stinnett and Fritch. In addition to a depot, a new school was built, and in 1927 a post office was established. The Oil City boom days, however, were short-lived. Its post office was discontinued in 1929. Its school remained active until 1949, when the Ingerton district was consolidated with the Stinnett schools. By 1940 Oil City had only one business and a population of twenty-five; it managed to survive until the Rock Island abandoned the section of the line between Amarillo and Stinnett in 1972. The growth of nearby towns, along with the advent of the Lake Meredith National Recreation Area, also figured in its demise.

Adapted from the official Handbook of Texas, a state encyclopedia developed by the Texas State Historical Association (TSHA). It is an authoritative source of trusted historical records.