Urban Legends in San Antonio and South Texas

Tom Slick Papers

Tom Slick, Sr., one of the most famous oil operators in the Southwest and known as the 'King of the Wildcatters' died in 1930, leaving a inheritance to his children. As an avid adventurer and world traveler, Slick organized several expeditions to search for the Abominable Snowman or Yeti in the Himalayan Mountains of Nepal as well as expeditions in search of Bigfoot or Sasquatch in the Pacific Northwest.

The bulk of our collection represents the office files of Tom Slick and includes correspondence, reports, financial documents, minutes, project and subject files spanning from 1938-1962.

Inventory of the Tom Slick papers, 1938-1987

More on Tom Slick and his adventures

SwRI’s 75th Anniversary: Celebrating SwRI Founder Tom Slick
Thomas Baker Slick, Jr., oil heir, business man, philanthropist, adventurer, author and inventor, impacted the world with his grand ideas and scientific pursuits. As we celebrate SwRI’s 75th anniversary, we remember the legendary and inspiring founder of the Institute who left a legacy of progress and innovation. Slick was known for his global vision and his desire to advance humankind. He was also known for his world travels, art collection and his expeditions in search of the mythical yeti. On this episode, his family members tell us they also knew another side of him, sharing intimate details of Tom Slick’s extraordinary life and their colorful memories of his humor and wisdom.

Listen now as Slick’s son, Chuck, and niece, Catherine Nixon Cooke, recall the man they knew as beloved father and uncle, and discuss how he continues to change the world today.
Tom Slick: Mystery Hunter
Tom Slick: Mystery Hunter chronicles the larger than life adventures of Tom Slick (Owen Wilson) and his steadfast pursuit of the unknown, culminating to one of his greatest and most mystifying expeditions: his 1958 hunt for the Yeti. Tom Slick’s epic story is told through hidden tapes found by his granddaughter Liv Slick (Schuyler Fisk) in the attic of her mother, Claire Slick (Sissy Spacek). What is a climactic tale of a legendary man and his hunt for the Yeti is, for Liv, the discovery of a grandfather whose life was largely shrouded in mystery… until now.