Phillips, Texas

Phillips is a ghost town in Hutchinson County, United States.

It was founded as Pantex, Texas. In 1938 Pantex and Whittenburg combined. The combined town was renamed Phillips for the dominant employer, the Phillips Petroleum Company by a vote of the people.

Past Demographics

Max Population: 4,250 in 1947

1950 School Fire

March 19, 1950, a fire destroyed the high school. Local churches housed classes until the new school was built.

Decreasing Population

In the 1950s and 1960s, improved highways and transportation resulted in many businesses and people moving to Borger, Texas.By 1980, the population had dropped to about 2,500.

1980 Explosion

A hydrocarbon explosion at the refinery in 1980 obliterated part of the industrial area and some nearby homes. Damages were estimated to be in the millions. The town was permanently evacuated at the request of Phillips 66 Oil Company. The homes themselves were owned but the land they sat upon was property of the Oil Company. Therefore, many homes were moved to areas near by (Borger, Stinnett, Fritch). The homes that were not moved were leveled.

Today, the high school is one of the few buildings left and is used for business purposes for the Conoco Phillips Refinery.

External links

* [http://www.texasescapes.com/TexasPanhandleTowns/Phillips-Texas.htm TexasEscapes Entry for Phillips, Texas]
* [http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/PP/hgp3_print.html Handbook of Texas Online]