Monahans Million Barrel Tank (Monahans, Texas)

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  Matt J. McCullar (guest)

  Built in only 90 days by Shell in 1928 to store a lot of oil (it used to have a wooden roof) above ground because at the time there weren't enough pipelines to distribute the stuff. Oil was getting pricey then ($1.75 a barrel), until the great Stock Market Crash of 1929 sent the price of oil tumbling. Over the decades the tank has been used as a water-based amusement park (for one day), an automotive race track (until drivers noticed the concrete surface was too bumpy and tore up their cars), and for square dancing. Probably too leaky to hold oil now, anyway.

  16 years ago | reply | hide comment