American
Oil & Gas
Historical Society
About Us
U.S. petroleum history provides
a context for understanding the
modern energy business.
The American Oil & Gas Historical Society (AOGHS) is dedicated to preserving U.S. petroleum history, which provides a context for understanding the modern energy business. This history, which began in August 1859 with the first commercial U.S. well in Pennsylvania, can help us make informed decisions about meeting America’s future energy needs. AOGHS offers energy education resources, including links to community oil and gas museums, county historical societies, libraries, and others dedicated to material preservation.
Latest Popular
Articles & Updates
Exploring Earliest Signs of Oil
A geologist traces first petroleum sightings in the United States, Canada, and many parts of the world. Petroleum geologist and historian Raymond P. Sorenson has spent much of his professional career researching and writing about the oil and natural gas industry. In...
This Week in Petroleum History, August 3 to August 9
August 3, 1769 - La Brea Asphalt (Not Tar) Pits discovered - The La Brea, "the tar," pits were discovered during a 1769 Spanish expedition on the West Coast. "We debated whether this substance, which flows melted from underneath the earth, could occasion so many...
Big Inch Pipelines of WW II
The final weld on the "Big Inch" was made in July 1943, just 350 days after construction began. A government-industry partnership built two petroleum pipelines from Texas to the East Coast that proved vital during World War II. "Big Inch" carried oil from East Texas...
Education Centers & Resources
Research Forums
Cities Service Bowling Teams?
I was wondering if there are any records or pictures of bowling leagues and teams for Cities Service in the late 1950s and early 1960s in Houston, Texas, or Lafayette, Louisiana. I would appreciate any information. My dad was on the team. – Lisa
Oilfield Storage Tanks?
My family has a farm in western PA and once had a small oil pump on the land. I’m trying to learn how the oil was transported from the pump. I know a man came in a truck more than once each week… – Lauren.
Early Gasoline Pumps?
For the smaller, early stations from around 1930, was the gas stored in a tank in the ground below the dispenser/pump? – Chris
History articles & Helpful links
Category Topics
Petroleum Artifacts & Memorabilia
Pages for posting questions, comments, and advice and for researchers, preservationists, and collectors seeking information about the history of artifacts relating to exploration and production technologies, petroleum products, transportation, storage, retail sales, and MORE.
Oil & Gas Families: Personal Stories
Have a family heirloom or other artifacts relating to petroleum history? Many community oil and gas museums can help preserve personal and professional stories…MORE.
Photography & Video Collections
The history of American radio, TV, and film offers portrayals of the U.S. petroleum exploration, production and transportation industries. Many public domain archives provide free access…MORE.
Preserving Old Photographs
The care, handling, and storage of photographs: How to preserve your photographic prints from all eras of photography (and negatives)..MORE.
"Is My Old Oil Stock worth Anything?"
A Q&A forum for sharing details about old and often obscure petroleum stock certificates, many from the early 1900s. Before posting, review our updated business histories of hundreds of old oil and natural gas companies..MORE.
Preserving Audio/Visual Recordings
The Library of Congress offers tips for preserving optical discs, magnetic tape, and other materials with inherent chemical instabilities. Good storage is especially critical to the preservation of these materials….MORE.
History of oil and Gas
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