Crane, TX
Music connected to Crane
About Crane
- • Singer/songwriter Billy Joe Shaver, a country music icon, was born in Crane, TX.
- • Crane County's first newspaper, The Crane Chronicle, was established in 1927.
- • Discovery of oil in 1926 spurred Crane's rapid growth and economic development.
- • A massive sinkhole, Wink Sink, continues to grow near Crane, alarming geologists.
- • The oil boom of the 1920s and 30s dramatically increased Crane's population.
- • Named for William Carey Crane, a Baylor University president; founded in 1927.
- • With approximately 4,100 residents, it's smaller than many West Texas towns.
- • At 2,575 feet, the altitude offers wide West Texas skies and desert views.
- • Oil and gas extraction remains the dominant industry, driving the local economy.
- • Being in Crane is like experiencing quiet, resilient, small-town Texas life.
- • The Midland RockHounds (baseball) offer nearby AA pro sports entertainment.
- • Permian High School football in Odessa is a nearby source of Friday night pride.
- • The region's soil is primarily sandy loam, characteristic of arid West Texas.
- • Monahans Sandhills State Park, featuring large sand dunes, lies northeast of the town.
- • Crane County lies within the Permian Basin watershed.
- • Pronghorn antelope are commonly found grazing in the grasslands surrounding Crane.
- • Mesquite trees are a dominant feature of the local flora.
- • Crane was established in 1927 after oil was discovered in the county.
- • The Crane County Courthouse, built in 1928, is an example of Spanish Colonial Revival architecture.
- • State Highway 385 connects Crane to Odessa and Fort Stockton.