National Register of Historic Places

Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater

Norphlet, Union County, Arkansas
Listed
January 24, 2008
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
07001435

About this property

The J.T. Murphy No. 1 Crater is the site of a historic oil-drilling accident near Norphlet, Arkansas, United States. The site is located about 3 miles (4.8 km) north and west of Norphlet, off Firetower Road about 3/4 mile (1.21 km) north of its junction with Baugh Street. On May 14, 1922, an oil drilling crew completed a 2,000 feet (610 m) well, dubbed J.T. Murphy No. 1, and began pumping. The early production was entirely natural gas, which began escaping from the drill collar. Eventually it caught fire, burning for several hours, and destroying the derrick. It also caused a series of violent underground explosions. This resulted in the creation of a crater 450 feet (140 m) in diameter and 50 feet (15 m) deep, along with a number of other, shallower, craters. The land, which had previously been in cotton production, was abandoned, and has gradually returned to forest. The site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

Location

Norphlet, Union County, Arkansas
33.34408, -92.66860

Categories

INDUSTRY
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Rivers & Rail
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Nearby Historic Sites

Smackover Historic Commercial District
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3.6 mi
McDonald, D., House
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3.6 mi
Oakland
Industrial
6.6 mi
Henley-Riley Houses
Modern
7.4 mi
James, Randolph, House
Industrial
8.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater listed on the National Register?

Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on January 24, 2008.

What type of historic resource is Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater?

Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater?

The period of significance for Murphy, J.T., No 1 Crater is recorded as the listed era.

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