Goose Creek near McNair

By 1914, Goose Creek near McNair was a humble boat landing. It had a population of around 300 and just five businesses. Goose Creek’s story truly begins with the oil boom of 1915. The Goose Creek oilfield’s discovery transformed this quiet settlement into a boomtown called Old Town. This boom, however, was short-lived. That same year, a well explosion devastated Old Town, forcing residents to relocate further inland. This new settlement was initially called Newtown, but by 1916, it was known as Goose Creek. The town’s growth accelerated in 1917 thanks to Ross S. Sterling. Sterling, president of Humble Oil and Refining Company, and local landowner Price Pruett, built the Goose Creek and Dayton Railroad. This railroad connected the booming oilfield to the Southern Pacific line at Dayton. In 1918, Sterling invested heavily in Goose Creek. He purchased 100 acres for $90,000 from Pruett and laid out a new townsite west of the railroad. He insisted on brick or plaster buildings, ensuring the town’s stability and growth. Sterling also owned the Goose Creek Electric Power system, the Goose Creek Water System, and Citizens State Bank. He even donated land for the Goose Creek-Harris County Library. These efforts quickly boosted the population to 1,200. Goose Creek officially became a city on January 28, 1919. W.E. Bussey became the first mayor, and a volunteer fire department was established soon after. By 1927, a new city hall was built, and Goose Creek adopted home rule. In 1928, they transitioned to a city manager form of government. While Goose Creek flourished, its story eventually intertwined with two neighboring oil towns: Pelly and Baytown. Despite several attempts, the “Tri-Cities,” as they were known, didn’t officially consolidate until 1948. However, long before the legal merger, they were united by shared resources. They shared employment at the Baytown Refinery, schools in the Goose Creek Independent School District, churches, and even newspapers. The Goose Creek story concludes in 1948. After a series of annexations and legal proceedings, Goose Creek, Pelly, and Baytown merged to form the present-day city of Baytown. Thus, Goose Creek, once a small boat landing, became a key part of a larger, unified community.