Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum

To get a true sense of the craziness that befell Beaumont [1] upon the discovery of the Spindletop oilfield, visit the intriguing Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum [2] (5550 University Dr., 409/835-0823, www.spindletop.org [3], 10 a.m.–5 p.m. Tues.–Sat., 1–5 p.m. Sun., $3 adults, $2 seniors, $1 children). Located near the site of the famous Lucas gusher, the museum contains 15 clapboard building replicas from the oil-boom era, including a general store, saloon, post office, stable, and blacksmith shop. The buildings and associated photos and interpretative panels tell the story of the massive and unprecedented boomtown saga, where Beaumont [1] transformed from a village of several hundred to a city of nearly 30,000 in a matter of weeks. The museum also features wooden oil derricks of the era, including a life-sized water-spewing gusher that keeps families entertained and refreshed during the hot summer months.