Historic plaque - Thurber

Description

Photograph of a historic plaque in Thurber, Texas. It reads: "Thurber. Most important mine site in Texas for 30 years. Coal here, probably known to Indians, was "discovered" in 1886 by W. W. Johnson, who with his brother Harvey sold out to Texas & Pacific Coal Company in 1888. (T. & P. Coal Company provided fuel for the Texas & Pacific Railroad, but was independently owned. Town was named for H. K. Thurber, friend of T. & P. Coal Company founders. Most dynamic firm member was Robert D. Hunter (1833 - 1902), developer of 7 of 15 mines. Next president … continued below

Physical Description

1 photograph : digital, col.

Creation Information

Belden, Dreanna L. August 7, 2005.

Context

This photograph is part of the collection entitled: Photographing Texas and was provided by the UNT Libraries to The Portal to Texas History, a digital repository hosted by the UNT Libraries. It has been viewed 221 times. More information about this photograph can be viewed below.

Who

People and organizations associated with either the creation of this photograph or its content.

Photographer

Audiences

Check out our Resources for Educators Site! We've identified this photograph as a primary source within our collections. Researchers, educators, and students may find this photograph useful in their work.

Provided By

UNT Libraries

The UNT Libraries serve the university and community by providing access to physical and online collections, fostering information literacy, supporting academic research, and much, much more.

Contact Us

What

Descriptive information to help identify this photograph. Follow the links below to find similar items on the Portal.

Description

Photograph of a historic plaque in Thurber, Texas. It reads: "Thurber. Most important mine site in Texas for 30 years. Coal here, probably known to Indians, was "discovered" in 1886 by W. W. Johnson, who with his brother Harvey sold out to Texas & Pacific Coal Company in 1888. (T. & P. Coal Company provided fuel for the Texas & Pacific Railroad, but was independently owned. Town was named for H. K. Thurber, friend of T. & P. Coal Company founders. Most dynamic firm member was Robert D. Hunter (1833 - 1902), developer of 7 of 15 mines. Next president was E. L. Marston, Hunter's son-in-law, who left mining largely to William K. Gordon (1862 - 1949), an engineer who brought daily output to 3,000 tons. Then in 1917, Gordon (backed by management of coal company) was primarily responsible for discovery of Range Oil Field, 20 miles west. Adoption of oil-burning railway locomotives cut demand for coal. Last mine here closed in 1921, and the 10,000 or more inhabitants of Thurber began to move away. The coal firm changed its name to Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company and was sold in 1963 to Joseph E. Seagram & Sons, Inc., for $277,000,000.00. Renamed Texas Pacific Oil Company, it is no one of the largest independent domestic energy suppliers. Much coal (by estimate 127,000,000 tons) remains underground. (1969)"

Physical Description

1 photograph : digital, col.

Language

Item Type

Identifier

Unique identifying numbers for this photograph in the Portal or other systems.

Collections

This photograph is part of the following collection of related materials.

Photographing Texas

These images come from individuals' travels across the state. Subjects include Texas scenery, wildlife, county courthouses, state parks, national parks, libraries, museums, historic sites, outdoor murals, architecture, monuments, and historic plaques -- a little bit of everything Texas!

What responsibilities do I have when using this photograph?

When

Dates and time periods associated with this photograph.

Creation Date

  • August 7, 2005

Covered Time Period

Coverage Date

Added to The Portal to Texas History

  • Aug. 18, 2005, 11:18 a.m.

Description Last Updated

  • May 17, 2023, 5:46 p.m.

Usage Statistics

When was this photograph last used?

Yesterday: 0
Past 30 days: 1
Total Uses: 221

Where

Geographical information about where this photograph originated or about its content.

Coordinates

  • 32.50992910316708, -98.41630841525318

Map Information

  • map marker Precise coordinates.
  • map marker Place Name coordinates. (May be approximate.)
  • Repositioning map may be required for optimal printing.

Mapped Locations

Interact With This Photograph

Here are some suggestions for what to do next.

Enlarge

International Image Interoperability Framework

IIF Logo

We support the IIIF Presentation API

Belden, Dreanna L. Historic plaque - Thurber, photograph, August 7, 2005; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth5220/: accessed April 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; .

Back to Top of Screen