Humble Camp

In the sweltering summer of 1935, Humble Camp buzzed with activity. The air crackled with the sounds of hammers pounding and saws biting into lumber. Humble Camp, right here in Monroe City, was rapidly taking shape. The Humble Oil & Refining Company had staked off the land, the streets were being graded, and the first buildings were about to rise. The Tyler Construction Company, with its crew of twenty carpenters, had been contracted to build the initial phase of the camp. This included an office and supply building, along with seven houses for key personnel. Six city blocks had been laid out, ready for more construction. A new road, connecting Humble Camp to the Anahuac-Beaumont road, was nearing completion and would soon be shelled. Obe Smith, the local Humble representative, planned to build a filling station and garage at the entrance of the road. It would serve both Humble employees and the public. Humble Camp wasn’t just a collection of houses. It was a microcosm of a bygone era. A time when companies like Humble Oil provided housing for their employees and their families. This was especially common during the period following the 1929 Stock Market Crash and through the post-World War II era. Many families had only one car, or sometimes none at all. Living near work was essential. Humble Camp offered its residents a variety of amenities. There was a recreation center, tennis courts, ball fields, and even city utilities. The company provided various types of housing, from standard houses to “poor boy” houses and bunkhouses. Photos from that time show that every two houses shared a garage, suggesting limited car ownership. Humble Camp at Monroe City was part of a larger network of Humble Camps located throughout Texas, in places like Lovell Lake, Amelia, Kingsville, Conroe, Katy, Raccoon Bend, Friendswood, Tomball, and Hardin. The constant movement of workers between these camps fostered a strong sense of community among the employees of “The Humble.” But as the American economy boomed after World War II, the need for company towns like Humble Camp diminished. Jobs became plentiful. Housing became more affordable. The rise of suburbs offered more attractive living options. By the 1950s, Humble Oil & Refining Company began closing its camps. All that remains of Humble Camp today are memories.