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Museums
Community oil and natural gas museums offer excellent educational resources. Often staffed by volunteers -- retired geologists and petroleum engineers -- museum exhibits and programs serve as an information desk for the petroleum industry. Almost 150 years of technological advances offer a context for teaching the modern business of meeting's America's energy needs. Explore these musuems below -- and view their maps for driving directions. |
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| Alabama |
Choctaw County Historical Museum
Choctaw County Historical Museum This museum features many fossils, including dinosaur bones, vertebrae from a giant whale that once swam in the warm, shallow prehistoric seas which covered Choctaw County, a Mastodon tooth found near Silas, and many others. Visitors can see bottles of oil from Alabama's first oil well at Gilbertown (1944). A one-room cabin, located on the west side of the Museum, is constructed from logs dating back to the mid-1840's which were salvaged from the first Choctaw County Courthouse at Barrytown.
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http://www.ohwy.com/al/c/choccohm.htm |
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| | Arkansas |
Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources
"The Busey No. 1 well near El Dorado blew-in with a gusty fury on Jan. 10, 1921. It was Arkansas' discovery well, and things would never be the same." The Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources is one mile south of the oil-rich town of Smackover, in the heart of the Arkansas oilfields. Surrounded by twenty acres of south Arkansas woodlands, the museum collects, conserves, interprets, and exhibits examples of Arkansas' oil and brine industrial history and the fascinating social history that accompanied the oil boom of the 1920s. Arkansas Museum of Natural Resources
P.O. Box 7, Smackover, AR 71762. Phone: (870) 725-2877.
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http://www.amnr.org/ |
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| | California |
Brea Museum & Heritage Center
The Brea Historical Society has entered into a lease with the City of Brea to restore the Old American Legion Building in City Hall Park and turn it into The Brea Museum and Heritage Center. “This is our chance to not only save this grand old building but preserve history and create dynamic programs and services that benefit all ages of our community. Educational programs will be offered throughout the year as well as lectures and tours on a variety of local topics.” The Brea Historical Society offices are currently located at 495 S. Brea Blvd. in Brea.
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http://www.breamuseum.org/ |
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California Oil Museum
Operated by the City of Santa Paula, the California Oil Museum highlights the inner workings of the industry through interactive displays, videos, working models, games, photographs, restored gas station memorabilia, and an authentic turn-of-the-century cable-tool drilling rig. Visitors can see how the Indians used natural oil seeps, watch a miniature drilling rig bore into the earth, and experience the excitement of "wildcatting" for petroleum. The Lundgren and Bennett Collections of gas station memorabilia are one of largest displays of vintage gas pumps in California. In addition to the permanent petroleum exhibits, the museum presents new exhibits of science, technology, history, and art throughout the year. The "Revolution in Racing" exhibit has been extended to December 19, 2004, because of its popularity with car clubs and visitors. The museum building is the original home of Union Oil Company and was built in 1890 for $38,000 by oil pioneers Thomas Bard, Lyman Stewart, and Wallace Hardison. Museum Director Mike Nelson issues a weekly email museum activity update to anyone interested in oil history.
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http://www.oilmuseum.net |
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Kern County Museum
The Kern County Museum’s “Black Gold: The Oil Experience,” is a $4 million permanent exhibit of Californian oilfields. The Bakersfield exhibition opened in late 2002, after six years in the making, says Director Carola Enriquez. Famous and fascinating images from the museum’s Bakersfield photo archives are featured.
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http://www.kcmuseum.org/ |
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Olinda Historic Museum and Park
This recently renovated historic Orange County site includes Olinda Oil Well No. 1, which was drilled in 1897, the field office, a jack line pump building, and a storage vault, which some believe was once used as a jail. New amenities have been added, including public restrooms, picnic area, outdoor display pad, parking lot, gate, and landscaping. In the future, the Olinda Historic Museum and Park will provide interior and exterior displays telling the story of the geological and historical significance of the site, as well as the importance of the oil industry to the development of this part of California. California State Park Rangers open the site to the public on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Address: 4025 Santa Fe Road, Brea, CA. Phone: (714) 572-0182. Admission is free. Learn more Brea and Olinda oil history at the City of Brea website:
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http://www.ci.brea.ca.us/ |
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Santa Barbara Maritime Museum
The "Oil Resources Exhibit" at the Santa Barbara Maritime Museum chronicles the Central Coast offshore oil industry, including an intricate model oil platform display just like those found in the Santa Barbara Channel. In the works are a working model of seep capture equipment, Santa Barbara Channel relief map, and a profile of the Clean Seas program. The museum's opening celebration was on July 29, 2000, and it continues to grow at its site in the Santa Barbara Waterfront Center. The museum building was formerly known as the Old Naval Reserve Center, which was built by the Works Project Administration (WPA) program during the late 1930s through early 1940s. Lecture information, and details relating to programs, events, theater showings, and facility rental guidelines are all available upon request by calling our administrative offices at (805) 962-8404.
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http://www.sbmm.org/index.php |
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West Kern Oil Museum
In the 1920s, more than 7,000 wooden derricks covered 21 miles in Southwest Kern County. In Taft, the West Kern County Museum, run entirely by volunteers, is dedicated to collecting, preserving, exhibiting and interpreting artifacts, books, and equipment that tell the story -- particularly in West Kern County.
Curator Jane Kinsey says the museum tries to tell of the businesses, communities and people affected by the oil industry. It is dedicated to increasing the public understanding and appreciation of the Midway Sunset field, which, by 1915, produced one half of the oil in California. At the time, California led the nation in oil production.
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http://www.westkern-oilmuseum.org |
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| | Colorado |
Denver Museum of Nature & Science
An "Ancient Denvers" permanent exhibit features the geology beneath the city: "From massive cliffs to jagged peaks to layer upon layer below the earth’s surface, rock formations hold tantalizing clues to hundreds of millions of years of geologic history along Colorado’s Front Range. These clues have revealed that over eons of time, the region has changed dramatically. Mountains, deserts, seas, and rainforests have come and gone. Many clues to the region's storied past were unearthed when the Museum drilled a 2,256-foot-deep well through the rock layers beneath Kiowa, Colorado, in 1999. From that core, layers representing Colorado’s ancient landscapes were brought back to the surface." The museum is located at 2001 Colorado Blvd.
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http://www.dmns.org/main/en/ |
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| | Illinois |
Illinois Oil Field Museum and Resource Center
“Money and volunteers, volunteers and money," are the biggest challenges, says John Larrabee, board president for the Illinois Oilfield Museum and Resource Center on the outskirts of his hometown (website is the Oblong Chamber of Commerce). "The first thing you have to have is a goal and the determination to keep at it, no matter what. Don't give up, whatever happens." It helps to know something about the oil business, says the third generation Illinois Basin oilman. The Illinois Oilfield Museum and Resource Center celebrates regional and state-wide oil heritage and history, as well and look toward the future interpreting state-of-the-art petroleum science education and related environmental sciences. winter hours are by appointment only. 10570 N. 150th. Ave. Oblong, IL 62449
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http://www.theonlyoblong.com/oil_field/oblong_oilf ield.html |
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Illinois Petroleum Resources Board
More than 150,000 wells have been drilled in Illinois since the discovery of oil at the turn of the century. The Illinois Petroleum Resources Board maintains a "rolling oil and gas education exhibit" available for school presentations, says Director Charles Williams. The exhibit contains small scale working models of oilfield equipment and can be used in support of earth science or natural resources lesson plans. The exhibit and presentation material is geared towards the 4th - 8th grade level student but can be adapted to younger or older students. Established by the state in 1998, the mission of the Illinois Petroleum Resources Board is to promote an understanding of the business of oil and gas production in Illinois through education and public relation; foster goodwill towards the industry by encouraging environmentally sound practices with respect to ongoing production and historical oilfield problems; and support research related to oil exploration and production and problem remediation. IPRB, P.O. Box 941, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864 Telephone: (618) 242-2857 Fax: (618) 242-3418.
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http://iprb.org/ |
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Museum of Science and Industry, Petroleum Planet
Petroleum Planet, an exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, explains: "Petroleum isn’t just a material – it’s a way of life. The museum’s exhibit, uncovers a world of possibilities: "Greeted by a remote-operated underwater vehicle and multicolored tubes of bubbling crude oil, you’ll step into the exhibit as assume your role: a tiny hydrocarbon molecule in a vast pipeline. From there, you will embark on a journey through distillation and transportation control and the "pig pen," finally arriving at your destination as a finished product." Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S. Lake Shore Drive
Chicago, IL 60637-2093. (773) 684-1414
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http://www.msichicago.org/exhibit/petroleum/index. html |
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Wabash County Museum
The Wabash County Museum is dedicated to the preservation of local area history through preservation and conservation of artifacts and memorabilia. It offers rotating exhibits about local history, industry, local families and their way of life. 320 N. Market St., Mt. Carmel, IL 62863. Tours may be scheduled for groups by calling 618-262-8774.
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http://www.museum.wabash.il.us/ |
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Wood River Refinery History Museum
"The Museum is located in front of the refinery, in the area previously occupied by The Shell Research Laboratory. The Museum is located in the former Diagnostic Lab.
We have plans to renovate the other buildings as time, money, materials, and volunteers permit." "Step back in time more than 75 years at the Shell History Museum in Roxana, Illinois. Featuring over 1,000 artifacts and growing, the museum offers a visual review of the refinery's many changes and significant progress from its groundbreaking in 1917 to the present. Exhibits, photo displays and a special videotape tell the story of how the legasy of Shell's Wood River Refinery unfolded over three-quarters of a century. It is a story of extraordinary achievements and remarkable dedication on the part of thousands of Shell people. Today's Wood River Manufacturing Complex is a premier refinery serving the vast Midwest market." Located along Route 111 in Roxana, Illinois the Shell History Museum is open to the individuals and small groups from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays except holidays. There is no admission charge. The entrance is located just North of the refinery main entrance along the outer road.To arrange large group tours, please call in advance: (618) 255-3718
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http://www.wrrhm.org/index.htm |
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| | Indiana |
Red Crown Mini-Museum
The Red Crown Mini-Museum, located at the corner of 6th and South Streets in downtown Lafayette, Indiana, next to Tippecanoe County Library.
"The gas station was built by Standard Oil Company of Indiana in 1927-28 and had a one garage bay attached. It was built with glazed brick on all walls and red tile on the roof. In 1935-36 a second garage bay was added. It was in operation as a gas station until 1979, in 1985 the library bought the property for a future parking area. In 1991, Don Stein, a local business man and auto collector offered to restore the gas station and was finished later that year."
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http://www.oldgas.com/info/redcrown.htm |
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Trump’s Texaco Museum
"Trumps’ Texaco Museum offers a nostalgic trip to the 1950’s, when US 40 bustled with cross-country travelers. The museum is housed in an old service station, which was once the location of Tydol Gas Station. Owner Bruce Trump’s grandfather, Harold Trump, ran the gas station from 1937 to 1941, and Bruce’s father and uncle operated a Texaco station on US 40 from 1954 to 1978."
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http://www.southernin.com/Pages/archives/april_00/ henry_county.html |
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| | Kansas |
Butler County Historical Center & Kansas Oil Museum
Deborah Amend, museum director, notes that the Butler County Historical Center & Kansas Oil Museum in El Dorado has a large collection of artifacts from the first “scientifically discovered” oil wells, which drew the new petroleum geologists who were learning about anticlines and traps and ancient sea beds. Three million years ago the Mid-Continent was in the middle of an ocean. The Kansas Oil Museum's Education Department mission is to engage diverse audiences of all ages in vital and meaningful experiences by promoting interpretive programs and hands-on activities in an exciting, unique and entertaining atmosphere. Programs connect to the Kansas State Curricular Standards as well as local district outcomes. Programs are age-appropriate and provide a unique learning experience by bringing history out of the text books and placing it in front of the student. Education Director is Lisa Cooley. The museum is located at 383 E. Central, El Dorado, KS 67042. Call (316) 321-9333.
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http://kansasoilmuseum.org/index.cfm |
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Hill City Oil Museum
Hill City Oil Museum in Graham County is 12 miles east of Morland. Located beneath an oil derrick on west Highway 24 in Hill City, the museum tells the story of oil from deep formations in northwest Kansas. The Graham County Historical Society meets the second Monday each month and is located 103 East Cherry, Hill City, KS 67642. (785) 421-2854
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http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/Vines/5320/oil .html |
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Independence Historical Museum
The museum creates a sense of Kansas life from the 1800s when Independence was called "Hay Town," to the present. The museum's permanent exhibits in 22 rooms tell stories of the early settler lifestyles -- and the history of the area's oil industry. The "Oil Room" celebrates many facets of the Pioneer, Sinclair and Arco oil companies. The displays include Sinclair and Arco advertising give-a-ways. Windows are from Hotel Chalmers, where oil companies had offices. An old drafting table and drafting machine are exhibited, as are many artifacts and photographs. The museum, located in the Old Post Office-Federal Building at 8th and Myrtle streets, was placed on the State and National Register for Historic Sites in 1988. Hours are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Wed. - Sat., 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. on Sunday or by appointment. Call (620) 331-3515.
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http://www.comgen.com/~museum/ |
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Kansas Oil & Gas & Hall of Fame Museum
Located on 10th Street past Patton Road in Great Bend, the museum was founded in 1990 by a group interested in preserving the history of the oil and gas industry. Contact Dean Wise at (620) 793-8301.
The main building of the museum displays various phases of the oil and gas industry, including geology, drilling, well completion, production, refining, and products manufacture with oil. This building also houses the Hall of Fame with biographies and pictures of inductees.
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http://www.visitgreatbend.com/aviaoil.htm |
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Norman No. 1 Museum
In eastern Kansas,, the Norman No. 1 Museum at Neodesha is smallest oil museum in the state. The 1892 discovery well is among the nation’s earliest. Norman No. 1 Museum, a small indoor and outdoor collection of exhibits that include a replica of the first oil well west of the Mississippi. It is located at First and Main streets in Neodesha.
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http://www.neodygrads.com/pages/museum/norman.html |
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Oil Patch Museum
The Oil Patch Museum of the Russell County Historical Society exhibits the fascinating history of Kansas oil and gas exploration. The museum tells the story of the "Lucky Seven" and the drilling of Carrie Oswald No. 1, the 1923 discovery well in Russell County. On the grounds are an oil storage tank and exhibits of geology, drilling and production, transportation, industry tools and machines. "Whether you are a youngster eager to explore a new subject or an experienced oil person looking to relive memories, you will catch the spirit of oil at the patch." Located at Interstate 70 Hwy. 281, the Oil Patch Museum is open Memorial Day Weekend through Labor Day Weekend, Sunday through Saturday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., or by appointment, call (785) 483-3637 or (785) 483-6960.
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http://www.rwisp.com/~rchs/Oil_Patch_Museum/oil_pa tch_museum.html |
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Stevens County Gas & Historical Museum
The Stevens County Gas and Historical Museum was established in May 1961 to preserve the heritage of the Hugoton Gas Field and the progressive development of Stevens County. One natural gas well drilled in 1945 is still producing. Well equipment is also on display at the site. It was dedicated on May 16, 1961, “as a memento of the Hugoton Gas Field and the progressive development of Stevens County.”
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http://skyways.lib.ks.us/towns/Hugoton/museum.html |
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| | Louisiana |
Center for Energy Studies
The Center for Energy Studies (CES) conducts, encourages, and facilitates research and analysis to address energy-related problems or issues affecting Louisiana's economy, environment, and citizenry. The Center is currently coordinating a multi-year project intended to provide the Minerals Management Service with an objective and comprehensive history of the evolution of the industry. In cooperation with the Universities of Arizona, Houston, and Louisiana at Lafayette the perspectives from the firms, workers and communities that participated in the industry's development and evolution are being recorded and archived. Center for Energy Studies, Louisiana State University, Energy, Coast and Environment Building, Nicholson Drive Extension, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803. Phone: 225-578-4400.
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http://www.enrg.lsu.edu/ |
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Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum
Formerly known as Caddo-Pine Island Oil and Historical Museum, the newly dedicated Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum in Oil City, Louisiana, opened on May 14, according to Director Coe Haygood. The museum has moved into a new, 12,000-square- building near Oil City's old railroad depot, donated by Kansas City Southern Railroad. ChevronTexaco has donated an oil derrick that stands beside the museum, along with other early oilfield equipment. Indian artifacts are displayed in a cultural gallery in the new building. Miscellaneous artifacts including those from Kansas City Southern Railroad will remain in the depot, Coe said. In addition to three historic boom town buildings (the depot, a bank, and a post office) outdoor exhibits educate and entertains tourists. The museum is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There is no admission. The museum is located on Land Avenue, the main street of Oil City, two blocks to the east of Highway 1. For additional information, call (318) 995-6845. The museum continues to be dedicated to the history and preservation of northwest Louisiana's natural resources, especially its rich oil history, mystical Caddo Lake of Louisiana and Texas, and the people who settled this region.
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http://www.sec.state.la.us/museums/oil/oil-index.h tm |
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Outer Continental Shelf Oral History Project
The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is conducting research on the history of the offshore oil industry in Louisiana. The project focuses on the development of the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) and its impact on the culture of south Louisiana. The UL Lafayette History Department has conducted interviews and gathered information from individuals involved in the development of the offshore oil industry to facilitate the study.
Since the first half of the twentieth century, the oil industry has been a significant force in the social, cultural, political, and economic development and transformation of Acadiana. The study is being conducted for the Minerals Management Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior in order to synthesize information already collected from previous studies of the OCS.
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http://www.louisiana.edu/Academic/LiberalArts/HiGe /OCS/index.htm |
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The International Petroleum Museum and Exposition – Rig Museum
In Morgan City, La., the International Petroleum Museum and Exposition is a non-profit corporation established for the purpose of educating the general public, and the next generation, on the significance of the offshore oil and gas industry and its affect on the local area, the state, the nation, and the world.
The offshore "Mr. Charlie" Rig Museum's Visitor Center on Front Street in Morgan City is located on the historic Atchafalaya waterfront, the center occupies one of the oldest buildings in the Historic District, the Goldman Building, circa 1910.
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http://www.rigmuseum.com |
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| | Michigan |
Henry Ford Museum & Benson Ford Research Center
Located in Dearborn near the Henry Ford Henry Ford Museum, the Benson Ford Research Center, includes a large selection of research, photographs, historical expertise and unparalleled collections documenting the "American Experience." The research center holds the Ford Motor Company Historical Archives from 1903-1955, as well as a nationally significant collection of business records, automotive product literature and periodicals, manuscripts, photographs, prints, postcards, maps, trade catalogs, early American dictionaries, and other library and special collection material. The Henry Ford complex is an non-profit educational institution not affiliated with the Ford Motor Co. or the Ford Foundation. The Henry Ford Museum is located at 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, MI 48124-4088. To make an appointment to visit the Benson Ford Research Center, call (313) 982-6070.
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http://www.hfmgv.org/museum/default.asp |
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| | New Mexico |
Farmington Museum
"Dinosaurs to Drill Bits" tells the oil and gas story of the San Juan Basin. "Experience the thrill of riding deep into the earth in search of oil on a simulated floor shaking adventure. Learn what it takes to drill thousands of feet looking for black gold." The museum and visitors center is located at Gateway Park at 3041 E. Main St. 87402. (505) 599-1174
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http://www.farmingtonmuseum.org/ |
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| | New York |
Pioneer Oil Museum
The Pioneer Oil Museum is located in the Village of Bolivar, Allegany County. Although dairying and livestock have become the cash crops of the area, this region still produces very high quality oil and natural gas. The museum tells the historic story of oil production in the region. Area producers also gather for Bolivar's popular annual clambake. The website about Allegheny County has a wealth of oil information on the region; be sure to view the outstanding collection of photographs by museum curator Ray Payne. Contact Kelly Lounsberry, director: P.O. Box 332, Bolivar, NY 14715.
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http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ny/county/allegany/OIL -COUNTY/OIL-OIL-MORE%20OIL.htm |
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| | Ohio |
Allen County Museum
On May 19, 1885, oil was discovered in Lima while drilling for gas at a paper mill near the East North Street crossing of the Ottawa River. The news spread quickly, and immediately the banks of the Ottawa were thronged with spectators. The cry of “oil” soon made Lima a boom town. The Allen County Historical Society's Allen County Museum exhibits this in collection of natural history, science, and art -- with an emphasis on local history. The oil well at the paper mill of Benjamin Faurot was never profitable but it was started the area's oil industry; and the Lima oil field was, for a time, the largest in the nation. The museum's Elizabeth M. MacDonell Memorial Library in the Allen County Museum provides extensive information for researchers and genealogists. A private fund-raising campaign for a $6.5 million museum renovation is underway Phone: (419) 222-9426. Allen County Museum, 620 West Market Street, Lima, OH 45801.
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http://www.allencountymuseum.org/ |
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Hancock Historical Museum
The Hancock Historical Museum in Findlay collects, cares for, exhibits and interprets items that illustrate the County’s history from prehistoric times through the present with emphasis on the Gas Boom period. With the completion of a new Exhibit Center, the archives has moved to second floor space - tripling its capacity. The Mae Huston Local History Resource Center is an archive and research facility. The facility houses both primary and secondary sources related to a variety of local history topics. The museum is located at 422 West Sandusky Street in Findlay, less than two miles from the site of the famed 1886 Karg natural gas well. Phone: (419) 423-4433.
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http://www.hancockhistoricalmuseum.org/ |
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Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program
Ohio’s first commercial oil and gas well was put into production in 1860 in Washington County. Ohio’s oil and gas wells are located in both rural areas and highly populated residential areas of the state. Wells produce in 68 of the state’s 88 counties. The Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program (OOGEEP) is a non-profit educational program established by the state in April 1998. Ohio Oil and Gas Energy Education Program, Rhonda Reda, executive director, P.O. Box 187, Granville, OH 43023.
Ken Miller Supply's Oil, Gas, Car & Truck Museum, Shreve, Ohio. Tour arrangements upon request:(330) 264-9146 or (330) 263-7890
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http://www.oogeep.org/ |
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Oil Field Engine Society
The OFES started as an idea for a club, of social and fraternal society for the people who like old oil field engines.
All members of the society are known as "OAFS." The OFES as a policy are informal with no officers or lists of membership. As a member of the society, "you are free to use its name in any appropriate manner. As a society, we will strive to help each other as much as possible." Russell L. Farmer
1231 Banta's Creek Rd.
Eaton, Ohio. 45320-9701
(937) 456-9387
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http://www.oilfieldengine.com |
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Wood County Historical Center & Museum
The The Oil Boom Exhibit among the newest addition to the Wood County Historical Center in Bowling Green. Constructed over the summer of 1996, the 24' x 40' building is made of rough hewn lumber. The Wood County Historical Center is located on the site of what was once the Wood County Infirmary, a large brick building that served as a home to the county's poor, sick, orphaned, elderly, and mentally ill for over 100 years.
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http://www.woodcountyhistory.org/ |
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| | Oklahoma |
Ames Astrobleme (Crater) Museum
"The Ames Astrobleme is one of the most unique geological features in the world because of its economic significance. The meteorite impact occurred over 450 million years ago. This event was so catastrophic that it created a crater thousands of feet deep and 8 miles in diameter. The crater cannot be seen on the surface of the earth today because it was subsequently buried by 9,000 feet of sediment.
The crater remained unrecognized until 1991 when a prolific oil field was discovered. The Ames Astrobleme is one of the most thoroughly studied impact craters on earth. Studies by astrogeologists reveal that if an impact occurs in a petroleum basin there is a 50% chance that the crater will contain commercial hydrocarbons. These craters provide an excellent structure for trapping oil and gas.
Additionally, the significance of meteor impacts is not limited to just oil and gas. The world's largest supply of industrial diamonds and the largest nickel deposits are also found in craters.
As the search for minerals and hydrocarbons continues to probe into new and deeper regions to meet the needs of growing civilization, it becomes essential to recognize the forces from outside the earth that have sculpted our planet." Ames, OK 73718
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http://amescrater.com/about.htm |
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Anadarko Basin Museum of Natural History
The Anadarko Basin Museum of Natural History is located on Route 66 on Main Street in Elk City. Unfortunately, the museum, founded by oil history enthusiast John West and others, is closed because of a lack of funding. The museum building, the Casa Grande Hotel, remains listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A powerful tourist attraction stands beside the shuttered museum: Parker Drilling Co. Rig No. 114 -- one of the world's largest drilling rigs, 181 feet tall, and visible from Interstate 40. Address: 204 N. Main Street (Old Route 66), Elk City 73644.
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http://www.itlnet.net/web/route66/page4.html |
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Bartlesville Area History Museum
The Bartlesville Area History Museum, established in 1965, ensures the collection, preservation and exhibition of the rich and varied history of Bartlesville and the surrounding areas, according to Director/Curator Karen Smith Woods. The collection includes artifacts, historical objects, photographs, art illustrations and files that focus on the development of communities. Thousands of photographs tell the story of Bartlesville — and the first glass bottle made in Oklahoma was produced by the Great Western Glass Factory; a piece of casing from the Nellie Johnstone No. 1 recalls the oil boom; and a cowboy hat worn by an attendee of the famous Cow-theives and Outlaws Reunion at Woolaroc Ranch. Of special interest is the Museum's photographic collection which includes thousands of photographs from photographer, Frank Griggs, who came to the area in 1908, captured half a century of growth and development of the community through his camera lens. Hours are Tuesday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sunday, Monday, and holidays. Call (918)338-4290.
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http://www.bartlesvillehistory.com/home.html |
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Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center
A new Heritage Center in Enid, Okla., will combine 12,000 square feet of totally renovated space at the Museum of the Cherokee Strip with 6,000 square feet of new construction. Exhibits will include Agriculture, Oil, Transportation, and Ranching -- the bedrock of the economic and community life of Northwest Oklahoma. Multiple major exhibits will spotlight key industries that has fostered the economic development of the region. Staking a claim to a piece of land on the day of "The Land Run" was only the beginning of a long and hard journey for those who poured over the border on Sept. 16, 1893. A Campaign to Create the Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center includes $5 million for the planned capital project and $1 million for endowment, which will also help support exhibits and programs. The Oklahoma Historical Society administers the site and provides annual operating expenses. Other assistance comes from the Sons and Daughters of the Cherokee Strip Association and the new Cherokee Strip Regional Heritage Center, Inc. Museum of the Cherokee Strip, 507 S. 4th Street Enid, OK 73701. Phone: (580) 237-1907. Fax: (580) 237-2874
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http://www.regionalheritagecenter.org./01.htm |
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Conoco Museum
The Conoco Museum opened May 12, 2007, in Ponca City. It includes five areas exhibiting the evolution of the company’s business identity, marketing – and innovative onshore and offshore technologies. One exhibit recreates a 1950s R&D laboratory; another depicts an outdoor scene of a “doodlebugger” at work; a third explains the technology behind the world’s first tension-leg offshore platform. These and other exhibits tell the story of a major oil company’s development from a small kerosene distributor serving 19th century pioneer America into a diversified global energy company. Contact Director Carla M. O'Neill at (580) 765-8687.
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http://www.conocomuseum.com/index.htm |
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Drumright Community Historical Museum
A March 1912 oil discovery on the Wheeler farm in Creek County, Okla., started yet another Oklahoma oil boom. Thousands rushed into barren hill country to found a dozen towns. Drumright was in the heart of the oilfield. Located near Cushing (about 50 miles west of Tulsa on highway 33), the Drumright Historical Museum is housed in a 1916 Santa Fe depot listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Five exhibit areas include the Oil Room and its large collection of memorabilia and tools used to drill the Drumright oilfield, which in 1919 produced three percent of the world’s oil. Outside is a collection of large equipment – and a cannon on the front lawn was used to shoot the bottoms out of burning oil tanks, notes historical society member Pam Scott of Swinea Well Service, Inc. “The town has changed and the oil boom is no longer what it was, but the history remains” she notes. The museum is located at 122 East Broadway, not far from Drumright’s Boomtown Theater. For hours, call (918)352-3002.
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http://drumrighthistoricalsociety.org/ |
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Frank Phillips Home
"Frank Phillips, an ambitious barber-turned-bond salesman from Iowa, visited Bartlesville in 1903 to assess business possibilities in the surrounding oil fields. After a series of failures that nearly caused him to abandon the business, a string of eighty-one straight successful oil wells insured success..." Tour the beautiful home (designed by architect Walton Everman) of the Phillips Petroleum Company founder at 1107 Cherokee Ave., Bartlesville. (918) 336-2491.
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http://www.frankphillipshome.org/ |
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Greater Southwest Historical Museum
The Ardmore Chamber of Commerce website includes the history of Ardmore, born with the establishment of the Sante Fe Railroad in 1887. The Greater Southwest Historical Museum preserves the history of south-central Oklahoma with exhibits from the mid-1800s to the present. They describe early settlements from Native Americans to the farmers, ranchers and townspeople who built communities in the region. In July, Ardmore hosts a Black Gold Festival, a multi-day, city-wide event celebrating the history and rich heritage of its oil industry. Events include a parade, an antique road-type event, a tailgate cook-off, an oil well gusher (produced with water by the Fire Department), a pioneer breakfast and gospel singing in Central Park, and more. To learn more, contact Michael Anderson at the Greater Southwest Historical Museum, 35 Sunset Dr., Ardmore, OK 73401-2852. Call: (580) 226-3857.
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http://visitors.ardmore.org/ |
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Healdton Oil Museum
Through artifacts and photographs the Healdton Oil Museum tells the story of oil development in Carter County. In addition, the museum provides a glimpse into the early days of the oil boomtowns. The Healdton Oil Museum is at 315 East Main Street.
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http://www.brightok.net/chickasaw/ardmore/county/ |
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Kerr Conference Center and Museum
The historic Robert S. Kerr Conference Center & Museum in Poteau was the home of the first native-born Governor of Oklahoma and long-time U.S. Senator, Robert S. Kerr. The Kerr family donated the mansion to Oklahoma in 1978 and it since has become a Bed-n-Breakfast. Located next to the mansion is a museum depicting the history and development of Eastern Oklahoma. It houses Sen. Kerr's office furniture as well as personal items. Kerr formed a drilling company -- he would later persuade Dean McGee to leave Phillips Petroleum to become his partner. It was the beginning of the Kerr-McGee Corporation. For more information, contact Carol Spindle, curator, at (918) 647-9579.
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http://www.carlalbert.edu/kerr_center/ |
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Marland Oil Museum
The Marland Oil Museum presents the saga of the amazing success of E. W. Marland's early oil company in Ponca City, Oklahoma, and its ultimate takeover. Learn about the Marland family's heritage, the industry that made it all possible, and the oil boomtown that rose from it all, Ponca City.
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http://www.marlandmansion.com/ |
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Nowata County Historical Museum
Open Tuesdays through Saturdays and by appointment. The museum includes 21 rooms of Nowata County history, each with its own theme: Native American, oil boom, dental office, laundry room and more. Old documents, furnishings and more. Nowata County Historical Museum P.O. Box 87, Nowata 74048
121 S. Pine St. Call: (918) 273-1191.
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http://www.ohwy.com/ok/y/ynowhimu.htm |
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Oklahoma Energy Resources Board
Leaders representing Oklahoma's oil producers and royalty owners, working with the state legislature, formed the Oklahoma Energy Resources Board (OERB)in 1993. Since then, OERB has restored more than 6,500 orphaned and abandoned well sites -- and shared energy curricula and safety messages with more than 750,000 students. "Our mission is to use positive action and education to give Oklahomans an appreciation for the vitality, contributions and environmental responsibility of the Oklahoma petroleum industry," according to Mindy Stitt, executive director. OERB energy education curricula, developed with Oklahoma educators and endorsed by the Oklahoma State Department of Education, include "Fossils to Fuel" for elementary schools, "Petro Active" for middle schools and "Core Energy" for high schools. OERB, 3555 NW 58 Street, Suite 430, Oklahoma City, OK 73112,
1-800-664-1301.
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http://www.oerb.com/ |
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Oklahoma Historical Society
The Oklahoma Historical Society was organized at the annual meeting of the Oklahoma Press Association, held at Kingfisher, on May 27, 1893. The society is located at 2100 N. Lincoln Blvd, Oklahoma City, OK 73105
Call (405) 521-2491. Website provides a detailed listing of museums thoughout the state. The museum is open Mondays 9 a.m. to 7:45 p.m., and Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.
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http://www.ok-history.mus.ok.us/ |
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Oklahoma History Center
The Oklahoma Museum of History, a division of the Oklahoma Historical Society, collects, preserves and interprets the history of Oklahoma. In 2005, the museum's extensive collection began moving into a new Oklahoma History Center, encompassing 18 acres at the intersection of N.E. 23rd St. and Lincoln Blvd in Oklahoma City. The History Center includes the Devon Energy Oil and Gas Park, an outdoor oilfield exhibit collection. 2100 N. Lincoln Blvd., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105. (405) 522-5248.
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http://www.okhistorycenter.org/ |
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Oklahoma Oil Museum
"Building a Home for Seminole's History" -- The Seminole Historical Society operates the Oklahoma Oil Museum and is involved with local preservation and educational projects, including the Strother Chapel project and the Grisso Mansion Tour. The museum's new building is located at 1800 Hwy. 9 West (Wrangler Blvd).
The museum "provides an educational experience for ages six years to senior citizen, and encourages visitors to take a step back in time. The museum allows all age groups to bond together the past, present, and future. It strives to offer visual programs that improve the intellectual, cultural, economic and moral environment of our society." Call (405) 382-1500.
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http://www.seminoleoklahoma.com/museum/ |
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Phillips Petroleum Company Museum
The Phillips Petroleum Company Museum opened May 12, 2007, in Bartlesville. "Volunteers and docents are very important to the success of our museum, notes Director Randy E. John. "They are the ambassadors representing the thousands of employees who made up Phillips Petroleum Company." Exhibits are displayed in seven major areas: A Pioneering Attitude; Growing Strong; One Big family; Bucking the Odds; Energy Provider; Taking to the Skies; and Selling 66. Call (918) 661-1305.
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http://www.phillips66museum.com/index.htm |
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Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History
The Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History includes the Robert S. Kerr 3,248-square-foot auditorium. "In 1899, the Territorial Legislature of the future state of Oklahoma mandated the founding of a natural history museum on the campus of the University of the Territory of Oklahoma in Norman, now the University of Oklahoma. Since that time, the existing museum has acquired over 5,000,000 objects. The museum conducts scientific investigations to preserve and develop a greater understanding and appreciation of natural resources and human cultural heritage."
In May 2001, Concoco dedicated the Oil Pioneers of Oklahoma Plaza, a special outdoor educational exhibit area at the Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, 2401 Chautauqua Avenue, Norman, Oklahoma 73072. (405) 325-4712.
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http://www.snomnh.ou.edu/index.shtml |
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Sarkeys Energy Center, University of Oklahoma
The University of Oklahoma Sarkeys Energy Center, completed in 1991, includes six interdisciplinary institutes and a special institute. All involve faculty from the colleges of Atmospheric & Geographic Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Law, Business and Engineering. Focusing on the energy-related strengths of the university, the institutes develop technology and programs that advance the energy industry and provide significant, "real world" research and education opportunities for students. The center is also home to the Lawrence S. Youngblood Energy Library, which houses the combined geology and geophysics collections of the Oklahoma Geological Survey and the University of Oklahoma that began in the late 1890s, and today contains more than 90,000 catalogued volumes and more than 200,000 map sheets. Contact the Office of the Director, 100 East Boyd, Room 510
Norman, OK 73019-1006. Phone: (405) 325-3821
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http://www.sec.ou.edu/index.php |
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SEG Geoscience Center & Virtual Museum
"The Society of Exploration Geophysicists Geoscience Center wishes to open the minds of children and adults to explore mysteries of our Earth -- through educational experiences that encourage students to consider careers in the geosciences." The SEG Virtual Museum is the highly educational online counterpart to the center, located on the first floor of the Geophysical Resources Center at 8801 S. Yale in Tulsa, where all of the instruments presented in the Virtual Museum are physically on display. Additional displays are on the fifth floor, adjacent to SEG's main offices. To schedule a tour of the SEG Geoscience Center, contact Susan Henley, Administrator, 8801 S. Yale Avenue, Tulsa, OK 74137-3575, shenley@seg.org (918) 497-5566.
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http://www.mssu.edu/seg-vm/ |
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Stephens County Historical Museum
No website... yet.
P.O. Box 1294, Duncan 73533
U.S.- 81 and Beech Street, Fuqua Park Call (580) 252-0717
Thursday to Sunday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., closed on holidays. Free: history of Plains Indians, cattle drives, pioneers and the oil boom. Blacksmith shop, quilts, military displays.
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http://www.shopoklahoma.com/museums.htm |
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Tulsa Historical Society
Established in 1963, the Tulsa Historical Society holds an extensive collection of resources on the city's rich past. The collection contains nearly 5,000 still photographs, books, maps, documents, graphics, historical costumes and architectural remnants, and fine and decorative arts.
2445 South Peoria, Tulsa, Oklahoma 74114
Call: (918) 712-9484
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http://www.tulsahistory.org/learn/earlytulsa/oil.h tm |
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Woolaroc Museum
"Hidden away in the rugged Osage Hills of Northeastern Oklahoma, Woolaroc was established in 1925 as the ranch retreat of oilman Frank Phillips." The The Oil Patch exhibit opened in 1996 and is located on the North Road tour. It illustrates the history of the Oklahoma oil industry from the early teens through mid-century. The heart of this living history exhibit is an authentic working powerhouse that supplies the power to most of the working equipment on the lease, jacks, pumps and other moving equipment. A restored, working cable tool drilling rig, a portable drilling rig, wooden storage tanks, a variety of pump-jacks, a collection of oil field tools and equipment, and a reproduction of a fairly typical lease house present a realistic exhibit of the early oil field. Woolaroc is operated by The Frank Phillips Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization, whose sole mission is to preserve the rich heritage of Woolaroc as an educational
and historical attraction. Woolaroc is located on Oklahoma State Highway 123 a short 12 miles southwest of Bartlesville, Oklahoma and 45 miles north of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
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http://www.woolaroc.org/ |
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Barbara Morgan Harvey Center for the Study of Oil Heritage
A new center dedicated to the study of the oil heritage region will be housed at Clarion University–Venango Campus. The Barbara Morgan Harvey Center for the Study of Oil Heritage will feature the late Barbara Harvey’s collection of books and papers donated to the university by her children. The collection contains more than 300 titles and includes books that document the history of the region, newspaper clippings from the early 1900s, minutes from the meetings of early oil companies from the late 1800s, maps and photographs. In addition to the collection, Joseph S. Harvey, the late Mrs. Harvey’s husband, created an endowment to support ongoing educational activities at the Center.
Community History Days will feature folk music, barbeques, and, above all, storytelling and conversation, and people from the region and beyond will be invited to participate. An important part of the Community History Days will be videotaping residents of the area reminiscing and telling stories about the region. The university also will invite a scholar annually to speak about a topic of major importance to the region’s oil heritage. Scholars will explore historical, geological, social, business, and other aspects of the region’s growth and development.
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http://www.clarion.edu/library/HarveyCenter/BMHCol lection.htm |
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Coolspring Power Musuem
Stationary gas hit and miss engines, throttle governed engines, flame ignition engines, hot tube ignition engines, and hot air engines ranging in size from a fractional horsepower up to 600 horsepower. All are among the permanent exhibits at the Coolspring Power Museum in Coolspring, according to Director Dr. Paul Harvey, M.D. Founded in 1985, the museum collection presents an illuminating history of the evolution of internal combustion engine technology that put an end to the steam powered era. Over 250 stationary engines are housed in 20 display buildings. See Events for open times. Coolspring Power Museum is located in Western Pennsylvania just off Route 36 midway between Punxsutawney to the south and Brookville to the north.
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http://www.coolspringpowermuseum.org/ |
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Drake Well Museum
The Drake Well Museum collects, preserves, and interprets the founding of the oil industry in Pennsylvania for residents and visitors by educating its audiences about the persons, places, and events important to the development of the petroleum industry and its growth into a global enterprise, according to Director Barbara Zolli.
Friends of the Drake Well, Inc., the museum’s membership association, reprinted the Early Days of Oil, by Dr. Paul Giddens. Also available is a DVD of the Drake Well Museum’s three orientation films: · “Born in Freedom: The Story of Colonel Drake” -- produced by the American Petroleum Institute in 1954 and starring Vincent Price. · “Oil! The Power of Pennsylvania Petroleum,” and “Pithole USA.”
Drake Well Museum, 202 Museum Lane, Titusville, PA 16354. Phone: (814) 827-2797. The Drake Well Museum is administered by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission, Harrisburg. Barbara T. Zolli, Director, Drake Well Museum -- Celebrate OIL 150 in 2009 at the Birthplace of the Oil Industry -- 202 Museum Lane Titusville, PA 16354. (814) 827-1147, x102, bzolli@state.pa.us, fax 814.827.4888.
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http://www.drakewell.org/ |
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Oil 150
2009 IS THE 150TH ANNIVERSARY OF OIL!
In 1859, “Colonel” Edwin L. Drake and the Seneca Oil Co. struck oil in the Venango Oilfield near Titusville, Pa. The Drake Well started producing about 40 barrels of oil a day. From such humble beginnings the petroleum industry developed. Aug. 27, 2009 will mark the 150th anniversary of the Drake Well discovery. The Oil 150 Celebration commemorating this event will be a 17-month celebration from Aug. 1, 2008 through Dec. 31, 2009. The celebration of Oil 150 creates a unique opportunity for the United States to focus on the historical significance of oil-related events leading up to and following 1859. According to Oil 150 Coordinator Lois McElwee, the celebration will recognize the important discoveries and innovations that span across America and around the globe -- and acknowledge achievements in all functions of the industry, including exploration & production, refining, transportation & storage, marketing, and business organization. The celebration will incorporate the very close parallel development of the natural gas industry. "This Celebration is not about a single event, but rather a century and a half of oil and natural gas industry development," McElwee notes. For more information, call
800-483-6264 or 814-677-3152 ext. 104.
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http://www.oil150.com/ |
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