Aug 26, 2024
What is your area of the world best known for (in your opinion?)
The Native Americans recognized the usefulness of black gold for centuries.
They collected it from seeps in the ground and off the surface of creeks, and used it for many things, including medicine, ceremonial paint, and waterproofing. They even traded it for goods and services. We’re talking about crude oil.
Naturally, white settlers learned from the locals and started using oil. Which led to the desire to find different ways to obtain it. Introducing Colonel Edwin Drake and welcome to Titusville, PA.
In case you didn’t learn about it in your history lessons, this is the area where the first commercial oil well was drilled and where the oil industry got its start. Wells drilled for other reasons had produced oil as a by-product, the well in Titusville was the first one specifically drilled to bring oil to the surface. That was back in 1859.
Drake Well
The plot of land that the well was drilled on is now a museum and park which draws around 35,000 tourists a year. The oil industry has pretty much abandoned the area as oil no longer easily found, but remnants of it still remain. Money created by the oil rush has mostly followed the move to other parts of the country, but plenty of artifacts remain. Everything from magnificent, restored Victorian mansions to stately churches to crumbling factories.
St. Joseph Parish/ Rev. Johnathan Schmidt
And that’s the answer. The area is best known for the oil industry, which gained prominence here before shifting to many other places.
Oh, and Bigfoot may live here, too.
How about the other authors? It’ll be interesting to find out what their areas are known for.
As always, until next time, please stay safe.
What is your area of the world best known for (in your opinion?)
Interesting! I had no idea oil drilling started in PA. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Although other areas were also involved in the beginnings of the oil industry, but Drake’s Well was the first to develop the technology for wells.
Do you go panning for gold, or has it all gone now?
The oil is pretty much gone, except for what can be recovered by fracking. And that technology is despised by many.
Not me watching Harry & the Hendersons while I read this.
I have heard of several Bigfoor researchers operating in the area. My theory is that the some of the Celtic gods visit here.