OILTON, TEXAS

Webb County, South Texas

27°28'8"N 98°58'33"W (27.468979, -98.975739)

State Highway 359
2 miles E of Mirando City
32 miles E of Laredo the county seat
24 miles W of Hebbronville
Zip Code 78371
Area code 361
Population: 152 (2010) 310 (2000) 458 (1990)

Oilton, Texas Area Hotels › Laredo Hotels

Oilton Highway Sign
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

History in a Pecan Shell

The original name of the community was Torrecillas or "little towers.”

The community became a station on the Texas-Mexican Railway in 1881.

The town was near limestone rock outcroppings that were quarried and used in the construction of jetties in Corpus Christi Bay.

In 1900 José M. García operated the only business in the settlement – a small store.

The population reached 40 in 1910 and the town received a post office in 1922. The name of the town was then officially changed to Oilton after oil deposits were discovered nearby. By 1930 the population was 150 and has since slowly increased to nearly 500 residents.

Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

Oilton Post Office, TX 78371
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010
More Texas Post Offices

Oilton TX - St. Bridget Catholic Mission

St. Bridget Catholic Mission
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010
More Texas Churches

Old gas station
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010
More Texas Gas Stations

Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

Smokehouse
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

Oilton Water Tower
Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010
More Texas Water Towers

Photo courtesy Gerald Massey, October 2010

Webb County 1940s map showing Oilton on Texas-Mexican Railway
From Texas state map #4335
Courtesy Texas General Land Office

Take a road trip

South Texas

Oilton, Texas Nearby Towns:
Laredo the county seat
Hebbronville
See Webb County

Book Hotel Here:
Laredo Hotels | More Hotels

Texas Escapes, in its purpose to preserve historic, endangered and vanishing Texas, asks that anyone wishing to share their local history, stories, landmarks and recent or vintage photos, please contact us.

Texas Escapes Online Magazine » Archive Issues »

Home »

TEXAS TOWNS & COUNTIES

TEXAS LANDMARKS & IMAGES

TEXAS HISTORY & CULTURE

TEXAS OUTDOORS

MORE

Texas Counties
Texas Towns A-Z
Texas Ghost Towns

TEXAS REGIONS:
Central Texas North
Central Texas South
Texas Gulf Coast
Texas Panhandle
Texas Hill Country
East Texas
South Texas
West Texas

Courthouses
Jails
Churches
Schoolhouses
Bridges
Theaters
Depots
Rooms with a Past
Monuments
Statues
Gas Stations
Post Offices
Museums
Water Towers
Grain Elevators
Cotton Gins
Lodges
Stores
Banks

Vintage Photos
Historic Trees
Cemeteries
Old Neon
Ghost Signs
Signs
Murals
Gargoyles
Pitted Dates
Cornerstones
Then & Now

Columns: History/Opinion
Texas History
Small Town Sagas
Black History
WWII
Texas Centennial
Ghosts
People
Animals
Food
Music
Art
Books
Cotton
Texas Railroads

Texas Trips
Texas Drives
Texas State Parks
Texas Rivers
Texas Lakes
Texas Forts
Texas Trails
Texas Maps

USA
MEXICO
HOTELS

Site Map
About Us
Privacy Statement
Disclaimer
Contributors
Staff
Contact Us


Website Content Copyright Texas Escapes LLC. All Rights Reserved