About Us

Petroleum history provides a context for understanding modern energy challenges.

The American Oil & Gas Historical Society (AOGHS) preserves U.S. petroleum history, which provides an important context for understanding the modern energy industry. This history, which began in August 1859 with the first commercial U.S. well in Pennsylvania, can help make informed decisions about meeting future energy needs. AOGHS offers education resources, including links to community oil and gas museums, county historical societies, libraries, and others dedicated to material preservation. Please join our effort.

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Articles & Updates

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill

Crucial time passed before containment, but surprising lessons learned from a zealous remediation process.   "No one anticipated any unusual problems as the Exxon Valdez left the Alyeska Pipeline Terminal at 9:12 p.m., Alaska Standard Time," an account by the Alaska Oil...

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Oil Boom at Pithole Creek

Rise and fall of Pennsylvania town presaged early U.S. oilfields.   Discoveries at Pithole Creek in Pennsylvania created a headline-making boom town for America's new oil exploration industry, which began with Edwin L. Drake's historic 1859 oil well drilled along a creek...

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Education Centers & Resources

Research Forums

Atlantic Refining Company Publication 

A family has preserved its connection to U.S. refining history and is seeking a home for its 1921 company booklet. The grandfather, George Edward Cooper (pictured in the publication), worked for Atlantic Refining Company, which later became ARCO.

 

Question about Oilfield Storage Tanks

“My family has a farm in western Pennsylvania 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.

Family donates L.A. Photography

Photos of a father’s years as an employee of the Los Angeles Harbor authority, Valerie Raynor led to the American Oil & Gas Historical Society finding a home for them at a California museum.

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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Stay up to date with our latest articles about petroleum history and modern energy education programs by receiving our monthly email newsletter, "Oil & Gas History News."

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