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Oil barrels loaded for shipping down Oil Creek to Pittsburgh, Crawford County, PA, May, 1864.
flipFlip to Early oil refinery, Oil City, PA, circa 1880.
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Credit: Drake Well Museum Collection, Titusville, PA.

Oil production in Pennsylvania was a major polluter of water and air.  In the early days of the industry, much of the oil drilled in in Titusville area was transported by flatboats down Oil Creek. The amount of oil lost to the river due to leaky barrels and boating accidents before reaching refineries in Pittsburgh has been estimated at more than 50%.

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