Corsicana was the site of Texas's first major commercial oil discovery

Corsicana city leaders hired a water-well company to drill new wells. At about 1,027 feet, they hit oil instead of fresh water. Though drillers tried to seal it off, oil kept seeping to the surface. Local investors soon partnered with experienced oil operators to develop the find. This was before the famous Spindletop discovery of 1901.

By 1898, a refinery operated by Joseph S. Cullinan was processing Corsicana crude. The first refinery shipment left on February 24, 1899. The Corsicana field went on to produce for more than a century. The Handbook of Texas, published by the Texas State Historical Association, covers the full history.