Discovery of Oil on the Hill - Signal Hill, CA - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "In 1920, Signal hill was a grassy dome dotted with seasonal farms. Though there was interest, opinions among oil company geologists about the prospects for oil here were mixed. A well near the corner of Wardlow and Atlantic Streets, drilled to 3,449 feet in 1916, had become known as the "The Expensive Dry Hole." Obtaining oil leases in Signal Hill was also expensive and difficult because exclusive residential estates were being built in the area. This rural domain would soon change with the discovery of oil.

Alamitos Well No. 1 near the corner of Hill and Temple streets was "spudded" (the start of drilling) by the Royal Dutch Shell Oil Company, predecessor to the Shell Oil Company, on Jun 23, 1921. Dr. W. Pelekan, an executive geologist for Royal Dutch Shell, is reported to have exclaimed, "They're drilling a well on Signal Hill, and I've got to put a stop to it." He made planes to travel to California to shut down the drilling, but before he could, the well struck oil at a depth of 3,144 feet. The well blew in as a "Gusher", shooting oil over 100 feet into the air! Within two days, the well was flowing 1,200 barrels of oil per day and the oil rush on Signal Hill was born.

In the early 1920's "California Oil World" reported "Signal Hill is the scene of feverish activity, of an endless caravan of automobiles coming and going, of hustle and bustle, of a glow of optimism. Derricks are being erected as fast as timber reacher the ground. New companies are coming overnight. Every available piece of acreage on and about signal hill is being signed up."

Alamitos No. 1 began a new era in California oil history and remarkably it is still producing today. By 1923, over 270 wells in the signal hill area, operated by 37 companies, produced over 140,000 barrels of oil per day. The wooden oil derricks were so dense on the hill that is became known as "Porcupine Hill".

The Signal Hill Oilfield has proven to be one of the richest in North America, having produced almost one billion barrels of oil to date. As engineering estimates indicate that that two billion barrels of oil are still in the ground. The signal hill oilfield will continue to be a valuable source of energy for decades to come."

Group that erected the marker: N/A Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: 2200 Temple Avenue, Signal Hill, CA 90755, United State URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   12/16/2014 bluesnote visited it