On August 27, 1859, Edwin Drake successfully drilled an oil well near Titusville, Pennsylvania. The well produced a steady flow of petroleum and demonstrated that drilling could be more reliable than surface collection. Drake’s success launched the modern oil industry in the United States. Oil from Pennsylvania quickly became important for lighting and lubrication. The industry expanded into refining and later fueled the rise of automobiles. The Titusville strike is often cited as the birth of commercial oil production in America.
