The Phillips and Woodford Wells on Tarr Farm, north of Oil City, Pennsylvania, in 1873.

Boomtown Legacy

Ryan Hilton, Engineer

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    Boom, Bust, & Bounce Back: The Oil Region’s Resilience in 1866

    Boom, Bust, & Bounce Back: The Oil Region’s Resilience in 1866

    Jun 14, 2025

    by

    Ryan Hilton

    —

    in This Day in Oil History

    In 1866, Pithole and other oil towns bounce back from fires, floods, and fraud—confident oil still flows beneath their feet.

    Read more

  • This Day in Oil History
    The Oil Town Cure: Pithole, a Summer Health Oasis? (1866)

    The Oil Town Cure: Pithole, a Summer Health Oasis? (1866)

    Jun 7, 2025

    by

    Ryan Hilton

    —

    in This Day in Oil History

    An 1866 editorial calls Pithole a refuge from disease. With “disinfecting” gas and oilfield vigor, it boasts healing air and healthy men.

    Read more

  • This Day in Oil History
    The Stench of Neglect in Petroleum Centre (1869)

    The Stench of Neglect in Petroleum Centre (1869)

    Jun 1, 2025

    by

    Ryan Hilton

    —

    in This Day in Oil History

    An 1869 editorial pleads for cleaner streets in Petroleum Centre, warning of disease as the town suffers from alarming neglect and unsanitary conditions.

    Read more

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Boomtown Legacy

Blogging about 19th-century oil fever in Pennsylvania.


Headshot of Chevron engineer Ryan Hilton.

About the author

I’m Ryan Hilton, a petroleum engineer with Chevron.

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  • Boom, Bust, & Bounce Back: The Oil Region’s Resilience in 1866
  • The Oil Town Cure: Pithole, a Summer Health Oasis? (1866)
  • The Stench of Neglect in Petroleum Centre (1869)
  • Clarion County Wells Strike Oil in May 1865
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