Howard County

106.9 The Ranch Battle of the Bands at the Historic Derrick Days Festival By the early 1890’s the rapidly expanding city of Corsicana had outgrown its water supply. Drilling began in 1894, with the aim of tapping a shallow artesian well in the area. Instead of water, they hit a large pocket of oil and gas, which was the first significant discovery of oil west of the Mississippi River. This led to Texas’ first oil boom. In 1976, Corsicana leaders determined that an annual event should be established commemorating the town’s rich oil history and its impact on the community’s development. The first “Derrick Days” was held that year and every spring since, growing in size and adding new activities each year