In 1881, John Thomas (Pat) Monahan dug the first water well at the edge of the west Texas sandhills. Originally known as Monahan’s Well, by 1883 it was simply Monahans. In 1928, the region’s oil industry left a unique relic on the east side of town – a one million barrel oil tank. Too much oil and not enough barrels led to this oddity, a 35 foot-deep dish lined with cement. It proved a short-lived solution, however, when the concrete cracked and the oil leaked back into the ground. Today it’s the centerpiece of the Million Barrel Museum, which interprets much of the town’s history. The Bankhead runs adjacent to the site and straight through Monahans with many of the amenities built in the 1930s and 40s surviving today. Fifteen miles west of town, Pyote Army Airfield now sits abandoned, but during World War II it was a major bomber training installation with 8,000-foot runways perfect for use with B-17 and B-29 aircraft, some of the largest in use at the time.
Monahans Sandhills State Park
2500 E. IH-20
It’s easy to forget you’re in west Texas when you encounter 50-foot high sand dunes. You might expect to find camels crossing over the dunes, but instead you’ll find picnic and camping areas and tourists who’ve come from far and wide to see this natural wonder.
More Locations in Monahans
East Side Courts
814 E. Sealy Ave.
This rustic tourist court greets travelers on the city’s eastern outskirts. The dawn of the automobile age and the nearby oil field likely kept these cottages packed with travelers and workers alike.
Gas Station
610 E. Sealy Ave.
Check out one of the skinniest gas stations on the Bankhead! Facing out onto the old highway and the railroad tracks, this building’s width is deceiving when faced head on, but it was big enough to provide travelers with gas back in the day.
Restaurant
304 E. Sealy Ave.
Look for the restaurant located in an old stone cistern! After hiking up some sand dunes, fill up on fuel at this relic of both the city’s farming and automobile‐era past.
Motel Del Camino
1100 W. Sealy Ave.
With the railroad tracks across the street, the surrounding desert landscape, and the quaint Mission Style architecture of this 1930s tourist court, there’s no denying you’ve ventured into West Texas. If you’re lucky, you’ll spy a rolling tumbleweed caught in the West Texas wind.
Tourist Court
TX-57 4.5 miles west of town
Thanks to its location in the center of the Permian oil fields, Monahans experienced a booming economy in the 1920s and 30s. This tourist court has individual cottages that likely housed both the tourists stopping for the night on their way to other destinations, as well as the tired workers from the fields.