Francis John (Frank) Trost (June 24, 1868 - August 4, 1944) Frank Trost, the photographer of record on the day the Lucas Gusher erupted in the Spindletop Oil Field, came to Port Arthur in 1895 from Kansas City, Missouri, where he had been involved in real estate. He opened a photography studio at this site and turned his hobby into a successful business. On January 10, 1901, Trost was notified of the events at Spindletop, just south of Beaumont. With his unwieldy camera equipment in tow, he managed to take at least one photograph of the gushing oil before sundown. Photographic methods were still in their infancy, so the image was created with a glass negative Trost manufactured in his studio. The photo appeared in newspapers all over the United States and in some foreign countries. It was in such demand that Trost made as many as 250 prints per day and sold them as quickly as they were printed. Aside from his significance as a recorder of this momentous moment in Texas history, Frank Frost also served his adopted hometown as a city alderman, city commissioner and fire chief. Trost died at home in 1944 and is buried in a local cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Katherine, and two daughters who continued his work at the Trost Studio. (2002)
Francis John (Frank) Trost (June 24, 1868 - August 4, 1944)
The roadside stories worth pulling over for.
Francis John (Frank) Trost (June 24, 1868 - August 4, 1944) is a historical marker in Port Arthur, Jefferson County, dedicated in 2001. It is one of 109 historical markers documented in Jefferson County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 137 historic sites cataloged across the county.
The site sits at 29.8739, -93.9329 near Port Arthur. The nearest cataloged historic site is US Post Office and Federal Building (historic place), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include Port Arthur-Beaumont Interurban Railway, South County Office Building, and Lakeshore/Lions Park.
This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5245012784. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.
Get Texas Roam — all 28,000 sites in your pocket
See this site and every marker, cemetery, courthouse, museum and landmark across Texas on one live map — find what's near you, get directions, and check in as you roam.
