Before electricity illuminated homes and skylines, the mid-19th century world struggled with light. Whale oil was costly and scarce, while camphene lamps too often ended in fire. People longed for a safer, affordable solution—and they found it in a quiet corner of northwestern Pennsylvania.
On August 27, 1859, near Titusville along Oil Creek, a determined man named Edwin L. Drake struck oil at a depth of just 69.5 feet. What locals mocked as “Drake’s Folly” became a turning point in global history—the birth of the modern petroleum industry.
From Folly to Fortune
Drake wasn’t a trained engineer, but he had vision. With the help of local driller William “Uncle Billy” Smith, he borrowed techniques from salt-well drilling and tried something new: driving an iron pipe casing into the ground to keep the well from collapsing.
Against all odds, it worked. Oil began to flow, and at first Drake pulled up 12 to 20 barrels a day with nothing more than a hand pump. That single, modest well launched a frenzy unlike anything the quiet valley had ever seen.
Fueling a Revolution
Drake’s success touched off the Pennsylvania Oil Rush, often compared to the California Gold Rush in its scale and chaos. Titusville boomed, while towns like Pithole City swelled from empty farmland to 15,000 people in less than a year.
Oil was soon refined into kerosene, a safe, affordable light source that lit homes around the world and saved whales from overhunting. The region’s demand for transportation led to new railroads, pipelines, and even the first oil tank cars—technology that paved the way for the modern energy industry.
Within six years, Pennsylvania produced more than 80% of the world’s oil supply.
A Legacy That Lives On
The oil boom eventually shifted west, but its impact never faded. Petroleum products became the backbone of the Industrial Revolution and the modern age—fueling cars, planes, ships, and forming the base for plastics and countless products we still use today.
And it all began in Titusville.
Experience It for Yourself
Today, Crawford County preserves this world-changing story in the same landscapes where it began:
- Drake Well Museum & Park: Visit the National Historic Landmark where Drake struck oil. Explore a working replica of the original well, watch historic machinery in action, and see the world’s largest collection of early oil artifacts.
- Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad: Ride through the scenic valley aboard vintage trains that follow the same paths oil once traveled.
- Historic Pithole City: Wander through the ghost town ruins of a place that rose and fell almost overnight.
When you stand at Drake’s Well, you’re not just visiting a historic site—you’re standing at the birthplace of the modern world. From saving the whales to fueling industry, the ripple effects of that shallow Pennsylvania well still reach every corner of life today.
The story of Crawford County isn’t just one of natural beauty—it’s the story of the day a determined man proved the impossible, sparking a chain reaction that continues to power our lives today. Come see where the modern world began!
Ready to Stand on the Ground That Changed the World?
Plan your trip to the Drake Well Museum and Park in Titusville. See the full-scale replica, watch the historic machinery operate, and walk the trails along Oil Creek. History is waiting for you, start planning your trip at VisitCrawford.org.