Question: Where can you see what’s left of the derrick used to drill the Permian Basin’s most famous oil well?
Answer: The University of Texas at Austin. The Santa Rita No. 1, named after the patron saint of the impossible and drilled by the Texon Oil and Land Company on university land between 1921 and 1923, ushered in development of one of the world’s most productive oilfields. In 1940, the derrick was moved to UT’s campus, followed by the drilling equipment in 1958. The historic well was finally plugged in 1990.
