PETROLIA, ON: Canada's Victorian Oil Town

[Long Island Mike]

Petrolia,Ontario-another interesting SW Ontario town!

Flar: Good Petrolia pics! I did not know that Petrolia's oil discovery dates from before the Northwestern Pennsylvania areas of Oil City and Titusville.
Standing out is that group of Victorian-style housing stock there-that turreted structure in pic #4 is just amazing! LI MIKE

 

[flar]

#4 is the old train station

There is probably some dispute about whether Petrolia or Titusville had the first commercial oil well, they were both around the same time, however, Petrolia is where modern oil refining methods began. The nearby Chemical Valley is still home to many oil refineries, plastics and chemical plants.

Oil men from Petrolia also travelled around the world opening up oil wells and spreading technology, including in Iraq. Petrolia's website jokingly asks whether Petrolia is responsible for the Iraq War.

 

[Long Island Mike]

Canada's pioneer oil town...

Flar: I was wondering if it was a RR station - it certainly looks like the type. So that's what the comparison is between the pioneer oil towns. We know it certainly is not responsible for the Iraq war! LI MIKE