How is it possible that we have two weeks left until school starts? We’ve managed to move our home 100 miles east, gone to an amazing VBS, seen both sets of grandparents, went to the beach, checked off experiments from our summer bucket list, and launched the second book of Halley Harper. Whew!
(Truth be told, I am now nursing a crazy cold that has hung on for almost a week now…and left me voiceless. It’s my body’s way of saying that I’ve had too much summer fun.)
We have treated our move to Beaumont, TX like an adventure this summer. Beaumont was made famous in 1901 when an a “little” oil well was discovered at Spindletop, Texas about 5 miles from downtown. The uncontrolled oil gusher shot oil 150 feet into the air and spewed 80,000 barrels per day into the air for 9 days straight! Needless to say it changed the course of history for the state of Texas.
Photo cred: Wikipedia
One of our things to do this summer was to visit the Spindletop Museum and see a replica oil gusher that occurs at certain times during the month (don’t worry it’s just water so make sure to bring a change of clothes and a towel.)
The museum is made up of replica buildings but houses artifacts from the 1900s that have been donated by the community. The museum gives you an eye-spy sheet to look for various things around the museum. So while we waited for the replica oil gusher, we went on an eye spy treasure hunt that was challenging to even my observant 8 year old and kept us moving from building to building to find the next artifact.
The buildings consist of a post office, a drug store, a grocery store, stables, iron works, living quarters, and so much more.
Check out their little (narrow) shoes at the Dry Goods store.
I’m sure this is an early BOB stroller 😉
Judge Andrew calling court to order.
Here are a few old drill bits that are used for drilling. My Andrew managed to pull one out of the hole it was placed in – just like King Arthur!
The kids could even make up their own oil company at the Beaumont Oil Exchange.
Here’s the ‘Home Depot’ of the 1900’s – the machinery shop.
Around noon the museum employees round up the guests to get everyone ready for the highlight of the trip – the oil gusher!
Wow. That was AWESOME! The gusher lasts for about 2 minutes and after a hot summer visit to the outdoor museum I let the kids go dance around in the gusher. (I had to hold myself back from dancing around myself!)
After we left the museum we had to check out the site of the real oil well a few miles away from the museum. 
Overall, this was one of the best museums I’ve taken the kids to (and that says a lot because we love Houston Museum of Natural Science). Honestly, it was the water gusher that sealed it for us!
If you need more ideas about what to do around Beaumont for the weekend check out this link at Big Kid Small City here.
Have an amazing end to your summer!
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