History

The History of "Roaring Ranger"

Roaring Ranger refers to a famous oil gusher that struck in Ranger, Texas, in October 1917, marking a pivotal moment in both Texas and American oil history. The gusher was part of the Ranger Oil Boom, a key chapter in the early 20th-century U.S. energy industry.

The town of Ranger had been a quiet farming community until the discovery of oil transformed it virtually overnight. The McCleskey No. 1 well, drilled by William Knox Gordon of the Texas Pacific Coal and Oil Company, hit oil at a depth of around 3,300 feet. The well roared to life with a powerful and sustained flow of oil—earning it the nickname “Roaring Ranger.”

The strike came at a crucial time. The United States had just entered World War I, and the sudden influx of oil was vital for fueling the Allied war effort. The Ranger field quickly became one of the most productive in Texas, producing millions of barrels in its early years.

The boom transformed the local economy, drawing thousands of workers, wildcatters, and fortune-seekers to the area. Ranger became a bustling boomtown practically overnight, with its population skyrocketing. Infrastructure lagged behind demand, and the town swelled with temporary housing, oil derricks, and new businesses.

Though the boom slowed by the early 1920s, Roaring Ranger had a lasting legacy. It helped cement Texas’s reputation as a major oil-producing state and contributed significantly to the U.S. becoming a global oil power.

Visit the Roaring Ranger Oil Boom Museum; located at 121 S. Commerce, Ranger, TX 76470. 

Establishment of Ranger College

On September 13, 1926, Ranger College opened with 30 students enrolled, shortly after the oil boom in Ranger had come to an end. The College operated under supervision of a College Council composed of three members of the Board of Education and nine other Ranger citizens and was recognized by the State Department of Education on March 23, 1927.

Ranger College Milestones 

• 1925:

  The Ranger Independent School District Board of Education voted to establish a junior college. 

   
• 1926:

  Ranger Junior College opened its doors to 30 students. 

   
• 1927:

  The college was officially recognized by the State Department of Education. 

   
• 1950:

  Ranger Junior College separated from the public school system and became an independent institution. 

   
• 1950s:

  Dr. G.C. Boswell became the first president of the newly independent Ranger College. 

   
• 1960s:

  RC expanded its facilities, including buildings for administration, classrooms, science, fine arts, and business, as well as a gymnasium, library, cafeteria, and student union. 
• 1970s:

  Ranger College broadened its curriculum to include vocational and technical training, alongside traditional transfer courses. 

   
• 1978:

  The Ranger College football team won the NJCAA national championship. 

   
• 2005:

  The Ranger College rodeo team resumed competition after a 25-year hiatus, eventually winning the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association men's team title in 2007. 

   
• 2013:

  The Ranger College men's soccer team won the NJCAA Region V Championship and participated in the national tournament.