The 88th anniversary of the discovery of the massive Oklahoma City oil field that paved the way for a huge oil boom in the state is approaching.
It was Dec. 4, 1928 when Oklahoma City #1 came in near SE 59th and Bryant and during its first 27 days produced more than 110,000 barrels of oil. It was a time when oil brought $1.56 a barrel.
The well was drilled by the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company, a firm formed by H.V. Foster who had left the Phillips Company as its chief geologist. Foster was convinced there was oil under Oklahoma County and he was right.
The discovery led to Oklahoma City becoming home to dozens and dozens of oil derricks and eventually to the finding of oil at the State Capitol grounds.
Listen to Michael Dean’s report from Oklahoma Memories, a production of the Oklahoma Histori8cal Society.
