Our Little Step Back Into History

The girls and I had quite a busy day Wednesday! We hadn't really done much this summer, and I wanted them to be able to have a few enjoyable experiences (while staying frugal, of course)! I had our day planned out weeks in advance, as there was one particular experience that I was aiming for us all to enjoy!

History is one thing that I absolutely LOVE. Pictured here is the Lucas Gusher monument, located at Spindletop/Gladys City in Beaumont, Tx. There are a FEW reasons why I wanted to take the girls on this adventure! For starters, my husband works in the oilfield, so it's a big part of our lives. The girls have known the oilfield life since before they were ever even old enough to walk!

I took them to Spindletop & Gladys City so they could really gain an understanding of the role that Spindletop played in the oilfield industry during the days of the oil boom. I also thought it'd be neat to show them how different life was back then!





As you can see in the picture below, Gail was excited, and MORE than ready to get the adventure started!

Of course, you KNOW that I had to get a picture of the older two girls together also!

I will say this....we got to the Glady City museum about 30 minutes before they even opened. It was definitely a chore trying to keep two excited little girls occupied, and out of trouble, while waiting on the doors to open! We pulled it off though!

We started our day with a tour through Gladys City. It was genuinely like stepping back in time, which I love! As we walked through each of the buildings, the girls were mesmerized by how different everything looked when compared to how things look today. They also had a little scavenger hunt for different objects as we explored each of the buildings!

I took MANY pictures, but the two above are a few of my favorites! I also love the shots I was able to capture in the old saloon, as you can see below!

I stated previously that Wednesday was chosen for a specific reason as far as when our visit to Spindle top took place. Now I'll explain why!

What I really wanted the girls to see was the Lucas Gusher re-enactment! On specific scheduled dates, the staff at the Gladys City museum do a re-enactment of the original moment when oil was discovered at Spindletop. The moment when oil shot out of the ground at its highest point, letting drillers know they'd finally found the black gold they'd been searching for. Granted, the re-enactment is just water, but I still wanted the girls to be able to see it!

All in all, it was a fun day for all of us! The girls were able to learn a little bit of the history behind their daddy's work, and they were able to see the re-enactment of the Lucas Gusher (although they were mad that I wouldn't let them run to get wet under the water)! I'll likely take them again next year to see it again! For right now though? We've got a list of other museums and historical adventures that we'll be taking as soon as we're able!