About

The information and links below include search tips and a selection of articles covering this topic in the digitized Louisiana newspapers. The dates and suggested search terms can help to further explore this topic on the Chronicling America website. For the most search results, try the search terms in different combinations, in proximity, and as phrases. Go to Sample Articles list.

Significant Dates

1901- First oil well drilled in Jennings
1909 – Standard Oil Company builds facility in Baton Rouge
1916 – Natural gas discovered in north Louisiana; State Federation of Labor organized

Suggested Search Terms

Oil well, oil field, oil industry, oil workers, natural gas, gas well, drilling rig

Sample Articles

• “Interesting Gossip about Oil and Oil Wells.” The Ouachita telegraph. (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, January 27, 1883, Image 1.
• “Is The Earth a Bomb?” The Ouachita telegraph. (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, July 27, 1889, Image 1.
• “Oil in Louisiana.” The true Democrat. (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, September 28, 1901, Image 4.
• “Jennings Gusher Gushes Skyward.” The Jennings daily record. (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, January 02, 1902, Image 4.
• “Oil Well Fire Still Raging.” The Jennings daily record. (Jennings, La.) 1900-1903, July 17, 1902, Image 1.
• “A Genuine Gusher.” The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, November 21, 1902, Image 1.
• “Good Report on Gas Supply.” Lower coast gazette. (Pointe-a-la-Hache, La.) 1909-1925, February 05, 1910, Image 1.
• “Natural Gas Illuminates a Park.” Lower coast gazette. (Pointe-a-la-Hache, La.) 1909-1925, July 23, 1910, Image 1.
• “Natural Gas in Louisiana.” Lower coast gazette. (Pointe-a-la-Hache, La.) 1909-1925, August 06, 1910, Image 1.
• “Call to Southern Oil Workers.” The Voice of the people. (New Orleans, La.) 1913-19??, February 12, 1914, Image 1.
• “New Oil Well Brought In.” The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, June 04, 1915, Image 1.
• “New Houma Gas Well Biggest in the World.” The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, August 02, 1919, Image 1.
• “North Louisiana Wealth Increases.” Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, March 13, 1920, Image 2.