Flying Red Horse Club

After World War II ended my Uncle Harold (who had worked at the Magnolia Refinery in Beaumont throughout the war) got dad a job with Magnolia Petroleum Company. Dad had received some aircraft mechanic training as he finished his term of service in the US Army Air Corps so MagPetCo assigned him to the machine shop. I imagine he started at the bottom and worked his way up to be a master machinist. MagPetCo was owned by Standard Oil Company of New York, Socony. And MagPetCo became Socony Mobil in 1959.

Anyhow, in this period in the 50’s and early 60’s, we were allowed to use the facilities of the Flying Red Horse Club. I don’t know who owned the property or whether or not it was really a club, but nonetheless Refinery employees were allowed to use it.

I wager that this use was restricted to white employees although I cannot back this up with any evidence. It may have been called a club to help with segregation.

I

t was a few miles north of Silsbee on Village Creek. It was heavily wooded and there were several buildings, a playground and access to the creek.

The creek access was down a steep metal staircase (probably fabricated at the refinery). At the foot of the staircase there was a ferry to cross the creek. The ferry was also homemade and was based on a pair of floats on each side. The floats were based on a a pair of sealed 55 gallon drums welded together end to end. There was a platform atop the drums with a railing around the whole thing. A cable went from the ladder to a mooring on the opposite shore and passed through a couple of rings on the top of the railing on one side of the ferry. The creek was probably on the order of 50 feet wide at this area and this area was at a bend in the creek.

So, to operate the ferry, we would load up. Someone would then use the cable to pull the ferry across to the opposite side. Occasionally, someone had to swim the creek to retrieve the ferry. I recall being given this honor off and on.

On the opposite shore from the ladder was a very nice sandbar with plenty of room for playing in the sand, shallow water or deeper water out a way from shore. This is where we’d spend an hour or so playing in the sand and water and getting worn out. Then we would reverse the ferry process to get back to the picnic area where we’d have tuna salad or PBJ sandwiches.

The Thomas clan were regular guests in the summer evening forays. I am pretty sure I was allowed to invite friends from school occasionally.

There is a family story of Wayne Thomas’s almost drowning but I don’t recall the details.

Near the picnic area was a playground with monkey bars, swings and a really good manual carousel. I am pretty sure most of the playground equipment was fabricated at the refinery.

Once or twice a year, on a Saturday, there would be a big barbecue. There would be quite a crowd and a lot of kids.

It turns out that in the period when I was visiting the club, Charlie Cutler’s dad was the caretaker. He was also the chief barbecue cook.