Caption: Early Drilling sites were often randomly chosen, but were mainly limited to flat lands near Oil Creek, in the vicinity where oil had initially been discovered.
The Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views (NYPG91-F314019f) Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Caption: Around 1865, the demand for land caused the hills north and west of Oil Creek to be explored for oil. Productive fields at Benneoff Run and Pioneer Run (shown above) proved that oil could be found in places other than the flat lands adjacent to creeks, as previously thought.
Courtesy the Drake Well Museum, PHMC Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums
Caption: This photograph and diagram from the late 1800s attempted to explain the new technology of oil drilling to laypeople.
The Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views (NYPG91-F314073z) Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Caption: A lack of knowledge about geology led oil prospectors to drill wells virtually anywhere, and to drill many wells at a productive site. Triumph Hill, near Tidioute, Warren County, boasted the highest density of wells in the oil region. Fifty derricks can be seen in this view.
The Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views (NYPG91-F314 086z) Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Caption: The technology to store and transport oil lagged behind drilling technologies. Round wooden storage tanks with iron hoops, although an improvement over the previous box shaped vats, were still problematic: they leaked, and were a fire hazard. Iron tanks were in use as early as 1862, but the shift to these tanks was delayed by iron shortages caused by the Civil War.
The Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views (NYPG91-F314 058f) Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Caption: Early oil fields had storage tanks and company buildings close to the oil derricks, as shown in this photo of Bennehoff Run. The danger of this setup was demonstrated when lightning struck a pipe at Bennehoff in July 1866, igniting an adjacent tank. The tank exploded almost immediately, releasing burning oil down the run, and destroying as many as 30 derricks and adjacent tanks.
The Robert N. Dennis Collection of Stereoscopic Views (NYPG91-F314 050f) Courtesy of the New York Public Library
Caption: The switch to iron storage tanks did not eliminate the risk of fire. Here, the spectacle of an iron tank burning makes for an enjoyable outing for the townspeople. Tank fires would often last for several days.
Courtesy the Pennsylvania State Archives
Caption: Although assumed to be a common occurrence, wells didn't often spout, or gush, like this one in Butler County in 1874. More common were "pumpers", those taht required an engine and pumping mechanism to extract the oil.
Courtesy the Pennsylvania State Archives
Caption: Pithole City was typical of many towns that sprang up and as quickly died around oil sites. Within six months of the discovery of oil in 1865, Pithole's population exploded from zero to 15,000. Here, construction along the main street during the boom is shown.
Courtesy the Drake Well Museum, PHMC Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums
Caption: A view of Pithole from First Street, looking east. Note the field of oil derricks. The large white building visible in the distance is the Bonta House Hotel. At its peak, Pithole had 57 such hotels.
Courtesy the Drake Well Museum, PHMC Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums
Caption: As the supply of oil began to dry up, Pithole's economy began to fail. By 1866 the population had fallen to 4,000. Property, so recently in great demand, couldn't be sold. This poster advertises a raffle for the Bonta House Hotel. The raffle was postponed twice and finally canceled altogether due to lack of interest.
Courtesy the Drake Well Museum, PHMC Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums
Caption: By 1870 Pithole was all but deserted, and most buildings were sold for scrap or abandoned. This view shows what was left of the town in 1883. Today, all that remains of the boomtown are cellar holes where buildings used to be.
Courtesy the Drake Well Museum, PHMC Bureau of Historic Sites and Museums