Edwin L. Drake
Bethlehem, Northampton County, Pennsylvania
Marker Inscription
Drilled first oil well in America in 1859 at Titusville, Pa. Lived at Bethlehem in this house for last seven years of his life, 1873-1880. In 1902 his remains were moved from Bethlehem to memorial monument erected at Titusville.
Erected by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission
The Story
Edwin L. Drake changed the modern world in 1859 when he drilled the first successful oil well at Titusville, proving petroleum could be pumped from the ground in commercial quantity. His breakthrough touched off an oil rush across northwestern Pennsylvania and launched an entirely new industry. Drake spent his final years, 1873 to 1880, in this Bethlehem house; in 1902 his remains were reinterred beneath a memorial at Titusville.
Why it matters
Drake's well opened the age of petroleum, fueling the industrial transformation of America and the world and creating one of the nation's most powerful industries.
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Related people
- · Edwin L. Drake
Related events
- · Drake Well (1859)
Themes & tags
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