Burning Springs Complex
National Register of Historic Places

Burning Springs Complex

Burning Springs, Wirt County, West Virginia
Listed
May 5, 1971
Type
District
Period
Civil War
Ref No.
71000884

About this property

Burning Springs Complex, also known as the Rathbone and Karns Wells, is a national historic district located at Burning Springs, Wirt County, West Virginia. It encompasses one contributing building and three contributing sites. It was historically viewed as the world's second great oil field, after the Drake Well in Pennsylvania. However, more recent scholarship including the PBS documentary Burning Springs shows it predates the Drake Well by a number of years. During the American Civil War, it was destroyed by General William E. Jones on May 9, 1863. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.

Location

Burning Springs, Wirt County, West Virginia
38.98882, -81.31965

Categories

INDUSTRY
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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Everything a full report reveals about Burning Springs Complex

This page lists Burning Springs Complex. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Nearby Historic Sites

Ruble Church
Early Republic
1.1 mi
Buffalo Church
Industrial
5.7 mi
Wirt County Courthouse
Civil War
6.5 mi
Kanawha Hotel
Civil War
6.5 mi
Beauchamp-Newman House
Civil War
6.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was Burning Springs Complex listed on the National Register?

Burning Springs Complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on May 5, 1971.

What type of historic resource is Burning Springs Complex?

Burning Springs Complex is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Burning Springs Complex?

The period of significance for Burning Springs Complex is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1863.

Can I research the history near Burning Springs Complex?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Burning Springs Complex will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

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