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McCAMEY,
TEXASUpton
County, West Texas
Hwys 67 & 385
53 miles S of Odessa
46 miles E of Ft.
Stockton (I-10)
Population:1,805
(2000) 2,493 (1990) |
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McCamey Sign
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004 | |
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| McCamey
has recently commemorated the 75th anniversary of its founding with some charming
murals and signs designating the locations of the buildings/ businesses portrayed
in the murals. Judging by the murals, a good portion of McCamey has been razed.
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| L-Mural
of McCamey (detail) R-Welcome to McCamey. TE photos |
The town sprang to life when a well was drilled by George McCamey in 1925. Within
six months, the population went from a handful of people to 10,000. An attempt
was made to capture oil in a huge reservoir, but failed. McCamey then built the
first oil refinery in West Texas.
McCamey
has windmills just to the SE of town. Not the common West Texas windmills
used to fill stock tanks, but huge modern blades that generate electricity. McCamey
thinks enough of these to include them on their welcome sign. |
McCamey Attractions Mendoza
Trail Museum : The old Santa Fe Depot is here and so are relics ranging from
prehistory to the oil boom that turned McCamey into a town. Juan Dominguez Mendoza
was a Spanish explorer.
Santa
Fe Park : Shady spot at the town's eastern city limit.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
Fort
Stockton Hotels
Odessa
Hotels |
| | A
pumpjack in McCamey
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004 |
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McCamey Stories Pansy
by Mike Cox ("Texas Tales" column)
Following the 1925 discovery
of shallow oil in what became the Yates Field, McCamey grew from just a name printed
on a plat to a town of 10,000 by September 1926. With money flowing almost as
freely as gushing crude, Pansy’s circus troupe arrived and set up its big top
at the edge of town... |
McCamey
Texas ForumI
was reading the article on Girvin,
Texas. I grew up in McCamey and my dad worked at the Rio Pecos power plant
which was owned by West Texas Utilities Co. When I graduated high school in 1970
I too started working at the plant. Part of my job was to go to Girvin each day
to Helmer’s store (next to the Girvin Social Club in the pictures), and get the
mail. At that time it was the gas station, grocery store and post office. The
social club was then a café. I ate lots of hamburgers and chili there for lunch.
I understand now that the power plant has been shut down. As the years go by it
seems that another part of my life disappears. Thank you for helping keep those
memories alive. - Gary Staggs, Little Rock, Arkansas, August 23, 2005
McCamey
Area Hotels - Book Here & Save:
Fort
Stockton Hotels
Odessa
Hotels
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Hotels | |
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