Photograph of a historic plaque in Thurber, Texas. It reads: "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 & Pacific Coal Company in 1888. (T. & P. Coal Company provided fuel for the Texas & Pacific Railroad, but was independently owned. Town was named for H. K. Thurber, friend of T. & 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 Range 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 & Sons, Inc., …

Photograph of a red brick building covered in vines and surrounded by trees and shrubs. The building, which is in the background of the image, is facing toward the left and has a flat top roof that is not visible. There is an open tunnel entrance made with red slatted wood on the righthand side of the building. Above this entrance there is a multipanel round top window. There is another smaller round top window beside the entrance close to the ground. Next to this window there is a white round top panel also positioned close to the ground. The side of the building is covered with healthy green vines. There is a large bushy tree covering most of the front of the building. The image is framed with the tops of bushes along the bottom of the foreground.

Red-brick smokestack of the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, detail: 1908

Red-brick smokestack of the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, detail

THIS IS THE SITE OF THE FIRST COMMERCIAL COAL PRODUCED IN TEXAS BY TEXAS & PACIFIC COAL COMPANY. MINED IN 1888. THIS COMPANY WAS THE FORERUNNER OF TEXAS PACIFIC COAL AND OIL COMPANY, NOW ONE OF THE NATION'S SUBSTANTIAL INDEPENDENT PRODUCERS OF OIL AND GAS. THE TRANSITION FROM COAL MINING TO PETROLEUM PRODUCTION WAS ACCELERATED BY THE COMPANY'S DISCOVERY IN 1917 OF OIL AND GAS IN THE GREAT RANGER FIELD, 16 MILES TO THE WEST. IT WAS A NATURAL EVOLUTION OF AN AMERICAN ENTERPRISE DEDICATED TO DEVELOPING NATURAL RESOURCES TO SUPPLY THE NATION'S GROWING NEEDS FOR ABUNDANT ENERGY. BENEATH THIS GROUND LIES PART OF THE 127,000,000 TONS OF COAL STILL OWNED BY TEXAS PACIFIC, WHICH MAY BE MINED IN THE FUTURE. THIS IS TEXAS' ONLY KNOWN DEPOSIT OF BITUMINOUS COAL OCCURS FROM THE SURFACE TO A DEPTH OF 450 FEET. ERECTED MARCH, 1960 BY TEXAS PACIFIC COAL AND OIL COMPANY, FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Red-brick smokestack of the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company. EVOLUTION OF AN OIL COMPANY

Red-brick smokestack of the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company. EVOLUTION OF AN OIL COMPANY

Photograph of a corroded red fire hydrant in Thurber, Texas, surrounded by grass.

Photograph of the Smokestack Restaurant in Thurbur, Texas. The restaurant is red with green trim and the parking lot in front of the building is filled with cars and several people standing around a group of motorcycles. The edge of a field is visible in the foreground of the picture.

Photograph of a two-story building in Thurber, Texas that used to be a gas station, viewed from the back. Part of the second story forms an overhang where gas pumps are visible; it also has a taller platform with a railing that has a "Thurber" sign on the side and a "Thurber Tipple" sign near the roof. A newer sign on the side of the building says "Thurber 'Tiques & Treasures" as well as "Western Art * Antiques * Crafts * Collectibles & Gifts." Other signs on the building say "Oil Change," "Fish Bait," "Hay for Sale," and "New-Used Tires." A restaurant building is visible in the background.

Photograph of the fire station in Thurber, Texas. The building is painted red with white trim and part of the brick smokestack is visible on the right.

W. K. Gordon Center for Industrial History of Texas, Tarleton State University.

Photograph of the Chapel on the Bosque, originally the Stephenville Presbyterian Church in Stephenville, Texas. The church is all white and has a round tower with a steeple. There is a fence with a hedge surrounding the chapel in the foreground.

Photograph of a sign in Stephenville advertising local dairy industry statistics.

Photograph of the Dublin Dr. Pepper Museum and Old Doc's Soda Shop in Dublin, TX. In front of the building is a statue, "Sweet Inspirations" depicting the plant's owner, Bill Kloster -- "Mr. Dr Pepper" -- offering a bottle of Dr. Pepper to a little girl.

Photograph of an advertising billboard for Dr. Pepper in Dublin. The girl on the swing actually swings back and forth.

Photograph of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. It is a four-story building made of red and white stones with a clock tower at the top.

Photograph of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. It is a four-story building made of red and white stones with a clock tower at the top. There is a flagpole in front of the building, and trees on the lawn on either side of the entrance.

Photograph of the clock tower at the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville at 12:50 p.m. The building is made of white and red stones, and the clock tower has a green roof. There are clock faces on each side of the tower.

Photograph of the clock tower of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. It has a clock on each side of the tower. The building is made of red and white stones.

Photograph looking up at the interior tower wall of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. The wall is made entirely of stone, and there is a wooden staircase leading upwards at the top of the photo. There are also several lamps on the two floors visible.

Photograph of the interior tower wall of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. The inside of the building is made of stone, and there is a wooden staircase leading to upper levels.

Photograph of the interior tower view of the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville, showing staircases and stone walls. The photo was taken looking straight up.

Photograph of three windows, taken from inside the Erath County Courthouse in Stephenville. The windows are arched, and set into a stone wall. A lamp is visible through the middle window.