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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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Mural of McCamey (detail)
TE photo |
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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.
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Welcome
to McCamey
TE photo |
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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. |
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McCamey
water tower
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, July 2006 |
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A closed
drive-in in McCamey
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, July 2006 |
Cage
jail
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, July 2006 |
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.
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A
pumpjack in McCamey
Photo courtesy James Rowland, 2004 |
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McCamey
Texas Forum
I 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
Anyone
wishing to share history or photos of McCamey, Texas, please contact
us.
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