National Register of Historic Places

First Oil Well in Oklahoma

Wapanucka, Atoka County, Oklahoma
Listed
April 12, 1972
Type
Site
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
72001053

About this property

The First Oil Well in Oklahoma was drilled in 1885 in Atoka County, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, though it was not completed until 1888. The First Oil Well in Oklahoma (also known as Old Faucett Well) is a historic oil well site near the present Wapanucka, Johnston County, Oklahoma. It was drilled by Dr. H.W. Faucett, who started work in 1885 on Choctaw land for the Choctaw Oil and Refining Company, but the 1,414-foot (431 m) well was not completed until 1888. A small amount of oil and gas was produced, but not in commercially usable quantity. The well was abandoned after Faucett fell ill and died later in 1888. The first commercially productive well in Indian Territory was the Nellie Johnstone No. 1 well near Bartlesville, Oklahoma (then in the Cherokee Nation), drilled in 1897. The well was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1972. The capped well casing is the well's only remnant.

Location

Wapanucka, Atoka County, Oklahoma
34.40175, -96.37389

Categories

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National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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The Community
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Questions about this property

When was First Oil Well in Oklahoma listed on the National Register?

First Oil Well in Oklahoma was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 12, 1972.

What type of historic resource is First Oil Well in Oklahoma?

First Oil Well in Oklahoma is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for First Oil Well in Oklahoma?

The period of significance for First Oil Well in Oklahoma is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1885.

Can I research the history near First Oil Well in Oklahoma?

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