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Oil 150 celebration of the history of oil production grows larger each day
By KYLE MILLIRON
Era Reporter
kylem@bradfordera.com
With events scheduled from Houston, Texas, to Titusville, the Oil 150, a celebration of the history of oil production, grows larger everyday, and organizers met Thursday at the Bradford Area Chamber of Commerce to decide how Bradford can join in celebrating the historic anniversary of the “black gold” that put Bradford on the map.
“We’ve had a surprising number of people contact us that want to be involved,” said Betsy Aiello, a representative from Aiello Brothers Oil and Gas Inc., and organizer of the Oil 150 events here in Bradford.
The organizers progressed through the meeting by discussing possible events that could be held throughout 2009 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the world’s first successful, commercial oil well.
Some of the events include a science fair, art exhibit, essay and coloring contest, a logo and poster contest, parade and an old-fashioned oil well shooting.
Shooting refers to the process of dropping explosives into a well in order to break apart the rock formations, facilitating in the capture of the crude. Producers have replaced this process with fracing, which uses highly pressurized water instead of explosives, but doesn’t give the same geyser effect.
Aiello has contacted officials from the Penn-Brad Oil Museum, the site where the organizers have discussed shooting the well, which would be a public event. The museum officials have expressed some interest, Aiello said, but parking, crowd control and mineral rights still have to be sorted out before the location is finalized.
The earliest proposed event for Oil 150 is a living windows display tentatively scheduled for December. Living windows is an event in which live models will exhibit 1850s clothing in the front windows of Main Street businesses. The group anticipates the event will prime Bradford for the 2009 celebration.
Sally Costik, curator of the Bradford Landmark Society, said there are plans to hold an Old Home Week celebration and parade, and that combining the Oil 150 events with the Old Home Week events may be the best option since the two go somewhat hand-in-hand.
In 1909, Bradford held an Old Home Week celebration in which the city welcomed back departed residents who left after the major oil boom in the late 1800s. Costik said that she isn’t sure why they chose 1909, but she thinks the 50th anniversary of the first oil well may have played a role in the timing of the celebration.
Oil 150 organizers are also seeking additional volunteers and sponsors to aid in the planning of the events.
The next meeting for Oil 150 will be held at 4 p.m. Nov. 6 at the Chamber of Commerce.
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