Old Ocean, Texas
Encyclopedia
Old Ocean is an unincorporated community in Brazoria County
, Texas
, United States
.
, just south of State Highway 35 five miles (8 km) northwest of Sweeny
.
of 2000, there were 915 people in the community. That figure had not changed since the census of 1970.
. The oilfield was called Old Ocean, and by 1936 the town eventually took that name. A post office with the name of Old Ocean was established in 1945.
Brazoria County, Texas
Brazoria County[p] is a county in the U.S. state of Texas, located on the Gulf Coast within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. Regionally, parts of the county are within the extreme southern-most fringe of the regions locally known as Southeast Texas. Brazoria County is among a...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Geography
Old Ocean is located at 29°4′47″ North, 95°44′58″ West (29.07972, -95.74944) , at the intersection of Loop 419 and Farm to Market Road 524Farm to Market Road 524
Farm to Market Road 524, or FM 524, is a state highway in the U.S. state of Texas.-Traveling the route:Beginning at Farm to Market Road 521 in Four Forks, FM 524 travels northwest as a narrow two-lane, tree lined road. Entering Sweeny, the route crosses the Union Pacific Railroad, winding through...
, just south of State Highway 35 five miles (8 km) northwest of Sweeny
Sweeny, Texas
Sweeny is a city in Brazoria County, Texas, USA. The population was 3,624 at the 2000 census, 7,316 if you include unincorporated areas of Sweeny. The city's motto is "A City With Pride", and is the westernmost incorporated town in the county.-Demographics:...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 915 people in the community. That figure had not changed since the census of 1970.
History
Old Ocean was originally known as Chance's Prairie, after the land grant made to Joseph H. Polley and Samuel Chance on July 27, 1824. William B. Sweeny, one of the founders of Chance's Prairie and for which the local town of Sweeny was named, bought 2319 acres (9.4 km²) from Polley and Chance for $1,950. Eventually more people settled here, and the town reportedly had a population of 18 in 1880. James Abercrombie discovered oil nearby in 1934, and a government oil refinery was constructed to make high-octane gas. It was closed near the end of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The oilfield was called Old Ocean, and by 1936 the town eventually took that name. A post office with the name of Old Ocean was established in 1945.
Old Ocean's Future
Not much remains of Old Ocean besides the post office, a Baptist church and two convenience stores. Most of the town has been redeveloped into an industrial facility and Highway 35 has been bypassed around the townsite.External links
- Old Ocean at the Handbook of TexasHandbook of TexasThe Handbook of Texas is a comprehensive encyclopedia of Texas geography, history, and historical persons published by the Texas State Historical Association .-History:...
Online