Entry No. 40 — the Austin file — filed under: environmental art

Luling's Painted Pumpjacks

Since the town's oil-boom heyday, Luling locals have hand-decorated the pumpjacks that dot its downtown streets into whimsical folk-art characters — Wikipedia specifically notes one rigged up as 'a girl eating a watermelon,' a nod to the town's Watermelon Thump festival held every June.

The move: Make the roughly hour drive southeast for the afternoon, pick up background at the Luling Oil Museum, then walk the blocks of Davis Street spotting each painted pumpjack before grabbing barbecue in town.

• 📍 Downtown Luling, TX (Caldwell County)
• 💸 Free
• ⚡ Up for anything
• 🌗 Outdoors

Where: 421 E Davis St, Luling, TX 78648 (Luling Oil Museum, the anchor point for the self-guided walk)

Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.

Plan a visit & invite your people →

Further reading: Wikipedia · maps.roadtrippers.com

last checked: 2026-07-20