It’s the spring of 1858. Colonel Edwin Drake from New York is hired by the Seneca Oil Company to investigate suspected oil deposits in Titusville, Pennsylvania. While the existence of petroleum oil was known, there no considerable market for the material. 

After months of work, Drake had little to show for his efforts. Undeterred, Drake took out a $500 loan to continue his operation. Then, on August 27th 1859, Drake changed the world. While drilling on an island in Oil Creek at a depth of 69.5 feet, he had struck oil.

The words - “They’ve struck oil!” – roared through the valley as crowds gathered to see the crude oil being hand pumped to the surface and into a bathtub. The Drake Well was the first commercial oil well in the United States. It led to the world’s first oil boom

This monumental discovery would play a pivotal role in the birth of the American oil industry. The rural wooded area surrounding Oil Creek would go on to be used for searching for black gold that would fuel the industrial revolution.

160-plus years after the discovery of oil, the property is now known as Oil Creek State Park. The park is a living museum, preserving the remnants of historic oil derricks, drill sites, and the remains of the industry that forever altered the course of American history. 

On this episode I speak with David Hallman. David is the Park Manager of Oil Creek State Park.

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Hosting, production and editing: Christian Alexandersen
Music: Jon Sauer
Graphics: Matt Davis