What happened on August 27 - Interesting US History

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ON THIS DAY IN UNITED STATES HISTORY

August 27, 1859

The First Successful Commercial Oil Well is Drilled

On this day in 1859, near Titusville, PA, a salt well driller, William A. Smith was able to drill an oil well which turned out to be commercially successful.

It became so successful that by 1862, a railroad and been built between Titusville and Corry to deliver the oil to the larger east-west lines. Over the next several years, eight refineries were built. The population of Titusville exploded from 250 to 10,000.

The area now contains the 290-acre Drake Well Museum.

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