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PENWELL, TEXAS
Texas Ghost Town
Ector County, West
Texas
Hwy. 80
16 miles SW of Odessa
Population : 74 (2000)
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A view
from the railroad
Photo courtesy Lexie Nichols & Jordan Gibson, February 2007 |
History
in a Pecan Shell
Ector County's first oil boom occurred at "Derrick City" – near the
former town of Judkins.
When the R. R. Penn Kloh-Rumsey No. 1, came in – the drilling operator
was Penn, thus it was Penn’s well or Penwell. He is said to be the
town’s namesake, however the historical marker on Hwy 80 states that
the land was owned by one Robert Penn – another possible source for
the town’s name.
The discovery was in the first half of October, 1929, the town was
laid out the next month and a post office was granted in June the
next year.
Penwell experienced the same predictable explosion of population as
other oil towns and naturally, the same growing pains. Shacks and
tents outnumbered proper dwellings.
According to the Handbook of Texas - Penwell had filling stations,
stores, hotels, a drugstore, barbershop, dance hall, and the typical
boom town rooming houses.
When drilling declined the population dwindled accordingly. Odessa
and Midland – as well
as new oil towns siphoned off population and Penwell was down to a
ghost of it’s former self. |
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Mass
grave of Chinese railroad works near Penwell.
Photo Courtesy Lexie Nichols and Jordan Gibson , February 2007
Details on the grave are available in Mel Brown's book Chinese
Heart of Texas |
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