Discover Freer: Oil Boom History and Rattlesnake Round Up

Freer can be explored through a clearly identified highway junction and its local history. U.S. Highway 59 intersects here with Texas State Highways 16, 44, and 339. This gives you a specific point of reference in town as you plan your trip. The history of oil and rattlesnakes offers another perspective on Freer. East of the city limits, a giant rattlesnake statue stands in front of the Chamber of Commerce on the north side of U.S. Highway 59. It was designed by Peggy Stacy and built by Pete Hunter in 1976; both were from Freer. At this named location, the highway setting and the local history of its creators come together.

From the Former Town Name to the Oil Boom

The area of Freer was originally called Las Hermanitas. The name referred to two hills south of the present-day town area, connecting it to the town’s early history. Later, two oil booms shaped the community’s development. In 1928, an oil field was discovered southwest of the present-day town area; it transformed the community into an oil-era boomtown. In spring 1932, the Heller-Suttle Number One well in Freer triggered a second and even larger oil boom.

The dates mark different milestones: 1928 refers to the discovery and the transformation into an oil-era boomtown, while 1932 marks the subsequent, explicitly larger boom. The name Heller-Suttle Number One also belongs to this later period. If you are interested in Freer’s history, this gives you a timeline from the former town name through the first oil discovery to the second boom.

The Rattlesnake Round Up in Earlier Editions

The 60th annual edition of the Freer Rattlesnake Round Up took place on April 25 and 26, 2025. The program included a state championship cook-off sanctioned by the International Barbeque Cookers Association. The two April dates refer to this 2025 edition and are not dates for a future trip.

Earlier editions also show different sides of the Round Up. The 1982 menu featured fried rattlesnake meat. The 1988 program included an annual dance at Rotary Hall, a jackpot team roping competition, and snake shows by the Texas State Diamond Hunters at Rotary Park. The shows featured live cobras and rattlesnakes. These examples span different years and cover different program items: food, dancing, competition, and an animal show.

Rattler Royalty and Town Representation

Another facet of local history is the Freer Rattler Royalty Pageant. In 2018, its 53rd annual edition was held in Freer. A report from that year describes the winners’ role: they represent their hometown at parades and events across Texas. This gives the pageant a civic dimension that extends beyond the individual competition. Along with the history of the Round Up, it shows how different events in Freer each create their own connections to the town.

A stay in Freer offers more than a single historical theme: the highway junction provides a geographic point of reference, the oil boom tells the story of two clearly distinct periods of development, and the statue, Round Up, and pageant represent different chapters in the town’s history. When placing the events in context, note the year in question: the programs and dates mentioned describe specific past editions, not necessarily what is on offer in another year.

For the broader travel overview: Duval County.