The Texon Story

A Documentary
(this website is now scheduled to disappear in August, 2023)

Unfortunately, it appears the hoped for documentary The Texon Story will never to come to fruition, at least by this producer (see below). This website is scheduled to disappear in August, 2023. In the meantime some sources of information about Texon that might interest you have been found. Below are some resources from which you can learn about the community of Texon, Texas.

Thank you people of Texon, Texas. It appears the annual Texon Reunions have come to an end, not having been held, to the best of my knowledge, since 2011. I wish to thank the people of Texon and Big Lake for their gracious reception of this visitor to their last three reunions. It was wonderful to meet such nice people and to learn about and visit the site of the fascinating town of Texon.

After my first visit it occurred to me that I would like to produce a documentary about Texon. Unfortunately, that idea never was executed before the annual reunions concluded. The coming together of the people of Texon with their memories and photographs was a key element in my idea of producing a documentary. Given that the days of the reunions seems to have passed, it is unlikely I will further pursue the idea.

It is with great fondness for all of you I express my appreciation for your friendliness and sharing your recollections of Texon and its people with me. I've shared your basic story of Texon with many over the years.

Unless there are further developments concerning future Texon Reunions or some revival of the documentary idea, this website, The Texon Story, will probably end its run on the Internet about August, 2019.


Best wishes to all,

Ken Welch

Memphis, Tennessee

August 1, 2018


    Production Status   
June, 2015 - The production of a video documentary by this producer is doubtful, primarily due to funding issues. There is a chance that those with Texon recollections may be invited to relate their memories for audio recording should there be a future reunion. Any such recordings could become an audio history or applied to a video history. Adding further complication is apparently no Texon reunion has been held in 4 years and the possibility of any in the future is unknown.
TheTexonStory@gmail.com


Resources:
Books:
Jane Spraggins Wilson and James A Wilson, Texon: Legacy of an Oil Town, Arcadia Publishing Library Editions, 2011 - available on Amazon
J. L. Werst, Jr., ed., The Reagan County Story, Big Lake, Texas: Reagan County Historical Survey Committee, 1974) - may be out of print and unavailable, available on ebay.com as of August, 2022  (note: not too much about Texon in this book)

On-line (as of August, 2022):
Wikipedia: Texon, Texas
Weaver, Bobby, "The Well That Launched the Permian," in Permian Basin Oil and Gas Magazine, July, 2022
American Oil & Gas Historical Society, "Santa Rita taps Permian Basin"
Big Lake Economic Development Corporation: Santa Rita Oilwell
Texas State Historical Commission: Santa Rita Oil Well
Midland Reporter-Telegram, "Levi Smith was known as father of Texon community," 2003
Texas State Historical Commission: Smith, Levi
Texas State Historical Society: Reagan County
TexasBob.com: Santa Rita #1
TexasEscapes.com: Texon, Texas
Ghosttowns.com: Texon
University Lands: UL Restores Site of the Santa Rita #1 Well