The Million Barrel Museum was built in 1928 as oil-storage facility. When operational, the tank stored a million barrels of crude which where delivered to Oklahoma for refinement. Filled only once, Shell abandoned it in the early 1930's. In 1987 it was converted to a museum.
Beside the tank sits the original Holman House which served as a hotel at the terminus of the Monahans-Fort Stockton Stage Line early in 20th century. It is now restored and refurbished to reflect from about 1890 to 1927 when it was a home to the Holman family and a hotel to the early-day travelers of Monahans. Filled with antique furniture and pictures from the past the house make a pleasant way to spend an hour or two reliving life at the turn of the century
Other exhibits at the Million Barrel Museum include the old Monahans jail just as it was in 1928, a section of track with a vintage caboose and a boxcar filled with railroad memorabilia. Nearby is a railroad section house and the Pyote Telephone Exchange Building.
The Million Barrel Museum is the ideal place to return to the West Texas 20's lifestyle and see housing, farm equipment, a 1928 pulling rig along with a portable school house featuring turn of the century medical and photographic equipment plus much more.