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Oil History Stories & local character

Nacogdoches County Is Home to Texas's First Commercial Oil Well

Nacogdoches County History & Culture

The Texas oil industry did not start in Beaumont or West Texas — it started in Nacogdoches County. On September 12, 1866, a man named Lyne T. Barret used a steam-powered auger to drill a producing oil well in the county. The Handbook of Texas, published by the Texas State Historical Association, documents this as the first commercial oil well in Texas.

The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) regulates all oil and gas production in the state today. If you are buying land in Nacogdoches County, it is worth checking whether the property has active or historical oil and gas leases. The RRC's public GIS map lets you look up wells and permits by location.

Content last revised 2026-07-11

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Stephen F. Austin State University Shapes Life in Nacogdoches

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Place pages in Nacogdoches County

ApplebyChirenoCushingGarrisonNacogdoches

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