Luling Oil Museum — Attraction in Luling

Today, June 20, I decided to visit a small town nearby, as it's going to be very hot this afternoon . I chose Luling. I've been here many times as the Palmetto State Park is nearby. But today I decided I would stay on Davis Street and see the museum one again, visit shops and have lunch at Mom's Front Porch, staying only in the morning, so as to arrive in San Marcos before the heat comes. I like back roads and I drove to Luling on Hwy 80. Highway 80 is undergoing improvements and as a driver you have to stay alert. From San Marcos to Martindale,, there is a middle lane, solely for left or right turns, but drivers do use it as a passing lane. And while I have never had a ticket in my life Martindale is known as a speed- trap town, so please follow all rules, signaling when changing lanes, turning, and following the changing speeds through town. Now from San Marcos to Luling thereabouts, the shoulder lane is not marked on the right side. I reached Luling and turned right on hwy 183, and getting into the right lane because at the light, I'm going to make a right turn onto DAVIS STREET. I drive to almost the end of this street because I'm going to The Central Texas Oil Patch Museum as it's officially named at 421 East Davis Street. I parked in front and go in. You're asked to sign the guest book and put $2.00 per person in the glass jar on the table. This museum portrays the findings of the 1920's oil fields in and around town. It's a fascinating trace of oil being found, how it changed people's lives and towns. There are interactive displays, bygone tools, equipment, an gasoline cart, and a film strip telling how Mr. Davis came from the East Coast. ( Massachusetts ), This film strip is in a theater in a former tank, the entries are cut out. Mr. Davis helped jumpstart the oil business. In many ways; He became the town's benefactor. There's a note from him starting bonuses to his workers based on how long they had been working from him. It was very generously based on their salary at that time. Those over 5 years received a 100% bonus based on salary. It was based from 25% for workers who had been there under a year, etc. I also recalled a signed in hotel registry, The Wilson, where people could stay for it seemed $2.75 a night in 1926. There is a salt dome brought in to preserve it. It seems in the 1920's there was no equipment to siphon off the salt. And so the salt dripped out of a pipe and huge calcite domes resulted, known as salt domes. People of all ages and children would enjoy this unique museum. I know I do, and I keep coming back. I leave the museum and turned left. Here along the way, I encountered 2 shops. Suzanne's, a shop of clothes, purses, hand lotions etc. I find little items for my sister and I, small bottles of fragrant shea butter lotion like mango, for $2.75 each and stationery, 8 cards with envelopes for $ 2.98 each which includes the tax. I go next door to a resale shop, featuring individual booths and I find 2 vintage Mikasa mugs, designed with a teddy bear pulling a little boy mouse and a little girl mouse on their respective blue and pink roller skates for $1.00 each. I m Then I turned right and walked all the way down to Mom's Front Porch, at 401 East Davis Street where I have a wonderful chicken salad sandwich with cheddar cheese, tomato, lettuce on homemade bread served on homemade bread. Then I start for home. Next week from June 27- 30, Luling is sponsoring their 66th annual Watermelon Thump, located at the end of East Davis Street. I took my 7- year- old niece there long ago and while her mother allowed her to spilt, here at the Watermelon Thump she could because they still have the how far can a watermelon seed go contest. More information can be read at the...

Ashley with the Chamber of Commerce showed us around! What an apsolutlely sweet person. You could tell her knew her history and was very proud of the museum! To enter the museum, you need to push down in the door latch and push open the doors. This building was constructed in the 1800s so the original door handles etc., are still on the doors. Its REAL history. The museum is kind of small but very well done with plenty of oil exhibits and history to tell. I've never been any place like it. Go visit them! Just remember how to get into the place and don't think its closed because its not. Call Ashley if you have any problems - she is...

A very interesting museum that focused on Luling and the development of the oil industry - particularly the life and role of Edgar Byrum Davis. There is a fair amount of information to read, and interesting displays on oil equipment and supplies. We particularly enjoyed the two relatively short but well-done movies. The pictures of the original oil patch development and density of wells in the 1920's are quite astounding considering today's environmental controls. Friendly staff, and admission was $2 per person. We spent about 1 1/2 hours here. Parked on the street out front. Overall grade...