Oil & Gas Museum - Parkersburg, West Virginia
The Oil & Gas Museum of Parkersburg, West Virginia offers a full range of displays and exhibits featuring the rich history of industry in the region.
Both oil and natural gas were discovered in western Virginia by the first explorers in the mid-1700s. George Washington acquired 250 acres in what is now West Virginia because it contained an oil and gas spring. This was in 1771, making the father of our country the first petroleum industry speculator.
A thriving commercial oil industry was in process as early as 1819 with the first major wells drilled at Petroleum, West Virginia, outside Parkersburg, early in 1859; California, West Virginia in the summer of 1859; and Burning Springs, West Virginia a year later in 1860. Natural gas was moved in wooden pipes from wells to be used as a manufacturing heat source by the Kanawha salt manufacturers as early as 1831. These events truly mark the beginnings of the oil and gas industry in the United States.
With oil selling for $30.00 a barrel in 1860 and natural gushers being drilled at only 100 feet, the West Virginia oil field quickly made local millionaires. The wealth of the first oil barons was used politically in bringing about statehood for West Virginia during the Civil War. Many of the founders and early politicians were oil men - governor, senator and congressman - who had made their fortunes at Burning Springs in 1860-1861.
On May 9, 1863 the important Burning Springs oil field was destroyed by Confederate raiders lead by General Jones, making it the first of many oil fields destroyed in war. After the Civil War, the industry was revived and over the next fifty years the booms spread over almost all the counties of the state. Drilling and producing of both oil and natural gas continues throughout the state to this day.
This exciting history is portrayed at the Oil & Gas Museum, and documented in a recently published book Where It All Began by David McKain and Bernard L. Allen, Ph.D.
This video was filmed by Andy Hall and produced by Stonewall Group for the Greater Parkersburg CVB (2011).
Oil and Gas Museum in Parkersburg West Virginia
Parkersburg, located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers, is the third largest city in the State of West Virginia. Parkersburg has been the seat of Wood County (first Virginia, later West Virginia) since the early 1800s.
This is Part One of a three-part video series of the Parkersburg, WV area;
Part Two, Veterans Museum of Mid-Ohio Valley in Parkersburg, West Virginia can be seen at:
Part Three, Parkersburg, West Virginia can be seen at:
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History of oil & gas in West Virginia
For the last two years we have watched a boom in the gas industry with development of hydraulic fracturing of the Marcellus shale that lies beneath most of our state.
Historically, drilling booms have brought money and the growth of town and cities.
But there was one oil boom in the 1840s that became an important step in the creation of West Virginia.
Chuck Kleine produced this report.
Parkersburg West Virginia
Parkersburg, located at the confluence of the Ohio and Little Kanawha Rivers, is the third largest city in the State of West Virginia. Parkersburg has been the seat of Wood County (first Virginia, later West Virginia) since the early 1800s.
This is the third video in the Parkersburg series.
Video 1, Oil and Gas Museum can be seen at:
Video 2, Veterans Museum of Mid-Ohio Valley can be seen at:
For more of our travel videos, please go to
Please email us at FreeTravelWithUs@gmail.com with any helpful suggestions on how we can do a better job documenting our travels and getting the word out about our website. Thanks!
If you are enjoying the videos, please help us continue by letting your friends know about them and subscribe to our channel so we can meet the new “1,000” subscriber requirements.
Make Your Own History - Greater Parkersburg, West Virginia
Make your own history in Greater Parkersburg. A place that changed history and was transformed by history in return.
Explore the great outdoors. Hike or bike North Bend State Park and its 72-mile rail trail. More than 82,000 acres of parks and public lands make this the perfect place to find yourself, lose yourself, or simply unplug to reconnect.
Savor something different in Greater Parkersburg. Dining indoor or out, casual or formal, comfort food or daringly different, you’ll find a welcome place at our collective table.
Find something unforgettable.
Shopping in Greater Parkersburg offers a truly unique take on one of America’s favorite past times. You’ll find nook and cranny after nook and cranny packed with unique folk art, seasonal decorations, furniture, pottery, candles, collectibles and more.
Imagine a world of artistry.
From live performances and fine art exhibitions to lively fairs, festivals, and special events, the curtain is always rising on a great time in Greater Parkersburg.
Make yourself at home.
You’ll feel welcome the moment you arrive to Greater Parkersburg. Cozy cabins, quaint bed and breakfasts and grand historic hotels provide refreshing warmth and hospitality.
Discover a fascinating past.
Board an authentic sternwheeler. Learn of the gritty birth of an industry at the Oil & Gas museum. Greater Parkersburg’s history comes alive through museums, re-enactments and tours. Explore Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park and Henderson Hall, an imposing pre-Civil War mansion that has become an immaculate time capsule filled with two centuries of furniture, paintings, photographs, and manuscripts.
We invite you to experience everything the area has become and all it has to offer. We invite you to make your own history in Greater Parkersburg.
Short video highlighting the must see attractions in Greater Parkersburg, WV. Filmed and produced by Stonewall Group on behalf of the Greater Parkersburg CVB in 2014.
Parkersburg Art Center
Parkersburg Art Center - A taste of Soho. Visit our dynamic, contemporary gallery to see regional and national works of art. The Parkersburg Art Center features exhibitions, classes, guided tours, gift shop, special events and facility rentals.
Hours: Wed - Sat 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission Suggested donation - Adult $2.00
Founded in 1938 by members of the Parkersburg WV Woman’s Club, the Art Center is the oldest arts organization in WV in continuous operation! Now in its fifth home, the Art Center is located on a busy corner right downtown.
The facility houses six separate gallery areas (including one just for kids!) that can be used individually or in tandem, and those galleries hold an average of 16 exhibits each year. Shows range from the works of internationally known artists though art by area schoolchildren, and there is ALWAYS something interesting to see. We also have a gift shop- ZOCOLO!
This video depicts the Parkersburg Art Center gallery space, gift shop and studio/class room space in Parkersburg, W.Va.
Piece was filmed by Andy Hall and produced by Stonewall Marketing Group for the Greater Parkersburg CVB.
Illinois Adventure #1403 Illinois Oil Field Museum
Over the years, the original facility for the Oil Workers Memorial had deteriorated and the Oblong Oilfield Museum, as it was known at the time, faded as well. In 1989, however, efforts began to revive and invigorate the museum and it was reincorporated as the tax-exempt Illinois Oilfield Museum and Resource Center. With the support of former State Sen. Bill O'Daniel, the museum received a $100,000 grant from the state, making construction of the new building possible. The Illinois Petroleum Resource Board, Heath Foundation, Claypool Foundation, and Oblong Community Ruritan Club have also provided much-needed funds.
West Virginia Music Hall of Fame Mobile Museum
The West Virginia Music Hall of Fame's mobile museum visited Davis-Thomas Elementary and Middle School on Friday, May 14, 2010. The museum introduces students to the rich musical heritage that exists right in their own back yard. MountainMade's juried artists include musicians that celebrate the traditional and new music of West Virginia. MountainMade was proud to support the Hall of Fame visit to Tucker County. See the MountainMade blog for more details on the visit.
Blennerhassett Museum of Regional History - Parkersburg, WV
Video shot by Andy Hall and produced by Stonewall Group for the Greater Parkersburg CVB (2011).
VolcanoStiles plantation-Parkersburg, WV
After the Civil War, these areas became more acessible to settlers and entrepreneurs from northern states. The Stiles were from New Jersey and made an estate plantation here that was pretty much self sufficient. The owners were able to get in on the discovery of oil at was then named the Volcano oil site. The readily reached black gold was quickly used up and it was no longer profitable so it was abandoned and became a ghost town. today it is a WV state park called Mountwood with a lack of scenic vistas, a lake, camping ,and a treasure trove of chatty Pileated Woodpeckers. Some have spotted a ghost or 2 in the area but it was probably just an solar optical illusion!
An Introduction to the West Virginia State Museum
Independent Oil and Gas Association of West Virginia
Increased production of shale gas means more jobs for West Virginia and other Appalachian states. MotionMasters worked with IOGAWV to produce a series of commercials highlighting the benefits of the shale gas industry.
West Virginia State History Museum
Randall Reid-Smith talks about the history of West Virginia. Culture and mining are just a few of the ideas expressed in this video.
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1812 Legacy Council Presents: Niagara Falls History Museum Grand Opening July 2012
The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council is proud to have the grand opening of the Niagara Falls History Museum on Lundy's Lane, as one of our Signature 2012 Canadian events. Join us and visit the stunning new addition to the facility, which will host a permanent 1812 Exhibit; showing you what the city of Niagara Falls went through during the War of 1812.
Chevron history, refinery procedures and museum
Mountwood Park - 12 miles east of Parkersburg, WV along US Rt. 50
With trails for hikers, bikers and horseback riders, a lake for fishermen and campsites, shelters, playgrounds, boat rentals and a gift shop for families, there's something for everyone at Mountwood Park. enjoy this 2,600 acre wooded park with a fifty acre lake and over fifty miles of biking, hiking and horseback riding trails. Pet Friendly - dog park! Located just12 miles east of Parkersburg, WV along US Rt. 50.
Mountwood Park is a county park located 12 miles east of Parkersburg, West Virginia on US Route 50. The park contains over 50 miles of hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails, campgrounds, a 50 acre lake, and wooded picnic areas. The park opened in the early 1980’s and has served the surrounding communities and counties with outdoor recreational activities and events for over thirty years.
The land that Mountwood Park is located on has a rich and significant history to West Virginians and to the oil and gas industry. In the late 1800’s, the third oil field in the United States was discovered in Volcano, West Virginia, an oil boomtown that once stood where Mountwood Park stands today. When the news spread that there was fortune to be found in Volcano, people fled to the area to buy land.
Soon after the discovery of oil, plumes of smoke rose from the trees and the hills were spotted with wooden oil rigs. The population of Volcano grew to approximately 5,000 people; saloons, bowling alleys, and opera houses became popular attractions. Not only was Volcano a central point of interest for entertainment but it was also the birthplace of a new oil pump system called the endless cable system-a series of wheels, belts, and cables going up and down hills to pump oil.
Volcano, West Virginia came to an abrupt end in 1879 when a fire burnt the town to the ground. Mountwood Park proudly celebrates the history of Volcano at the annual festival in the last week of September called Volcano Days.
Video Produced by Ohio University - 2014
Boom or Bust Byway - Louisiana State Oil and Gas Museum
The Boom or Bust Byway follows Highway 2 and is defined by the Louisiana/Texas border on the west and the loop around the town of Homer to the east. The Byway is comprised of four parishes: Caddo, Bossier, Webster and Claiborne. To learn more about the byway, visit BoomorBustByway.com.
West Virginia Historical Photographs
Discover the Digital Collections of the West Virginia University Libraries. For these and other great resources, explore West Virginia History OnView ( and the rest of our digital collections (
W.Va. Tourism Civil War Series - Introduction
This year marks the 150th anniversary of the start of the American Civil War. The harrowing battle raged for four years, pitting brother against brother at the cost of more than 600,000 lives. Out of the war, however, there rose a new state, and the only created as a direct result of the war -- West Virginia. Learn more at
WV Geological and Economic Survey
On Thursday, January 28, 2016, Dr. Michael Ed. Hohn presented “Geology Underlies It All: The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey in Service to the Public for over a Century” in the Archives and History Library of the Culture Center in Charleston.
The West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey was created in 1897 for examination of the geological formations of the State with especial reference to their economic products . . . classification of soils and a study of their adaptability to particular crops . . . of the forests and timber lands . . . with reference to the economic utilization of the same . . . Originally under the direction of a commission, the Survey is now a division of the Department of Commerce. The primary purpose of the agency remains the study of the mineral and energy resources of West Virginia and related issues such as karst, seismicity, hydraulic fracturing, and resource assessment. The big change in recent years has been in how information is delivered to the public served, from numerous traditional reports in print to web resources, including publically accessible interactive databases and maps.
Hohn discussed the early history and purpose of our state’s Geological Survey; principal activities such as mapping all coal beds in the state, an extensive oil and gas data system, and Geographic Information Systems; and how the agency provides information to the public.
Hohn joined the West Virginia Geological and Economic Survey in 1978 and was appointed State Geologist and Director in 2006. He holds a B.S. in geology from Binghamton University (New York), and a Master’s and Ph.D. in geology from Indiana University. He has published more than fifty papers on energy resources and a book on geostatistics. Research interests include geostatistics, resource assessment, and study of oil and gas reservoirs. He has been principal investigator for projects funded by the U.S. Geological Survey, U.S. Department of Energy, the former Gas Research Institute, and the U.S. Forest Service. He served as treasurer, secretary general, and president for the International Association for Mathematical Geology (IAMG); secretary, vice president and president for the Eastern Section of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG); deputy editor of Natural Resources Research; editor-in-chief of Mathematical Geology; and treasurer for the Association of American State Geologists. His most recent research has been assessment of recoverable oil and gas volumes from the Utica and Marcellus shales in West Virginia.