Development of the Petroleum Industry and Standard Oil (1859–1911)

1. Drake Well strikes oil near Titusville

   Aug 27, 1859Labels: Edwin L, Titusville Pennsylvania, Drake Well

   • Drake Well Museum
   • Britannica
   • Drake Well Wiki

2. Oil Creek Railroad chartered for oil region transport

   Aug 17, 1860Labels: Oil Creek, Pennsylvania, rail infrastructure

   • Oil Creek RR

3. Standard Oil’s Cleveland refining partnership begins

   Jan 1, 1863Labels: John D, Cleveland Ohio, Standard Oil

   • Britannica
   • Standard Oil Wiki

4. First U.S. cylindrical petroleum tank-car patented

   Jun 2, 1863Labels: Samuel J, petroleum tank-car, U S

   • Tank Car

5. Empire Transportation Company founded to move oil

   Jan 1, 1865Labels: Empire Transportation, oil logistics, rail-pipeline integration

   • Empire Trans

6. Densmore brothers’ practical tank cars enter service

   Aug 1, 1865Labels: Densmore brothers, rail tank, James Densmore

   • Petroleum Hist

7. Standard Oil incorporated in Ohio

   Jan 1, 1870Labels: Standard Oil, Ohio incorporation, John D

   • Britannica
   • Standard Oil Wiki

8. South Improvement Company charter suspended

   Apr 2, 1872Labels: South Improvement, Pennsylvania, rail rebates

   • South Improvement

9. Tidewater long-distance pipeline begins operation

   May 28, 1879Labels: Tidewater Pipeline, long-distance pipeline, Tide Water

   • Tidewater Oil

10. Standard Oil Trust created

    Jan 1, 1882Labels: Standard Oil, trust structure, trustees

    • Britannica

11. Ohio Supreme Court orders trust dissolved

    Jan 1, 1892Labels: Ohio Supreme, Standard Oil, legal dissolution

    • Britannica
    • Standard Oil Wiki

12. Standard Oil reorganizes as New Jersey holding company

    Jan 1, 1899Labels: New Jersey, Standard Oil, corporate headquarters

    • Britannica
    • Standard Oil Wiki

13. Tarbell’s Standard Oil exposé published as a book

    Jan 1, 1904Labels: Ida M, The History, muckraking journalism

    • Britannica
    • Tarbell Book
    • Yale Energy

14. U.S. Justice Department opens Standard Oil antitrust case

    Nov 15, 1906Labels: U S, Sherman Act

    • DOJ Antitrust
    • Justia

15. Supreme Court orders Standard Oil broken up

    May 15, 1911Labels: U S, Standard Oil

    • Justia
    • Case Wiki
    • Britannica