In the 1970s and 1980s the Texas wildcatter was a recognizable figure in popular culture. Since then, the wildcatter’s role is less celebrated but still important, as shown in the new introduction to
As the twentieth century began, oil in Texas was easy to find, but the quantities were too small to attract industrial capital and production. Then, on January 10, 1901, the Spindletop gusher blew in.
