Drake Well, Oil well and National Historic Landmark in Cherrytree Township, Pennsylvania.
Drake Well is an oil well in Cherrytree Township, Pennsylvania, that reaches approximately 69.5 feet (21 meters) below ground. The engine house and derrick stand beside Oil Creek and illustrate early techniques for extracting petroleum.
Construction began in 1859 under Edwin Drake and marked the first commercial oil well in the United States. This development introduced new drilling methods that spread quickly to other regions.
The name commemorates Edwin Drake, whose work started an industry that changed how people heated homes and lit streets. Visitors see reconstructed equipment and buildings that show how crews worked the site in the mid-1800s.
The site includes a museum with exhibitions, guided tours, and demonstrations of drilling techniques throughout the year. Visitors find marked paths that lead through the grounds and explain different stages of oil extraction.
Native tribes knew about natural oil seeps along Oil Creek long before European settlers arrived and used the substance for medicine. Settlers later realized petroleum could also fuel lamps before drilling began at this location.
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