Interest for an oil museum that paid tribute to Canada's early oil history in Lambton County began to surface in 1955 when Canadian Oil Companies Ltd. purchased the land where James Miller Williams established North America's first commercial oil well.
In 1957, a panel made up of members of the Lambton County Historical Society and the Oil Springs Centennial Committee developed plans for a $100,000 Museum that would preserve the site of the first commercial well and tell the stories of the oldest oil-producing area in North America.
The County of Lambton, Oil Springs and various local petrochemical companies financed the project, and Canadian Oil Companies Ltd donated William's former property to the museum committee.
Construction began in 1959, and the museum officially opened on July 1, 1960.
Lieutenant- Governor John Keiller MacKay hosted the museum's opening ceremony, noting that "we should hold an enduring reverence and respect for the pioneers, who laid the foundations for the oil development in this area."
Interest for an oil museum that paid tribute to Canada's early oil history in Lambton County began to surface in 1955 when Canadian Oil Companies Ltd. purchased the land where James Miller Williams established North America's first commercial oil well. In 1957, a panel made up of members of the Lambton County Historical Society and the Oil Springs Centennial Committee developed plans for a $100,000 Museum that would preserve the site of the first commercial well and tell the stories of the oldest oil-producing area in North America. The County of Lambton, Oil Springs and various local petrochemical companies financed the project, and Canadian Oil Companies Ltd donated William's former property to the museum committee. Construction began in 1959, and the museum officially opened on July 1, 1960. Lieutenant- Governor John Keiller MacKay hosted the museum's opening ceremony, noting that "we should hold an enduring reverence and respect for the pioneers, who laid the foundations for the oil development in this area."
Oil Museum of Canada