BFTHGT: Oil Derricks Traditional Cache
BFT.Geocaching: Sounds like it's missing.
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This is one of 20 historical caches along the Butler Freeport Community Trail, formerly the Butler Branch of the Western Pennsylvania Railroad. So grab your passport, provided in the cache box, enter the keyword. Then attend an event or send to the address on the passport to purchase a trackable, custom geocoin. Any questions, please e-mail president@butlerfreeporttrail.org
First event coins are available is May 15th
THIS SERIES OF CACHES ARE ONLY ACCESSIBLE VIA THE BUTLER FREEPORT TRAIL. There is plenty of parking at each trailhead. DO NOT DRIVE ON THE TRAIL, you may hike or bike to each cache. Passports are now downloadable on www.butlerfreeporttrail.org
Discovery of oil in Butler County was as early as 1750. However the “Oil Excitement” was started when “Uncle Billie” smith of Winfield Township, Butler County, PA struck oil at the Drake Oil Well in Titusville, PA on August 27, 1859. Billie, grandson of Winfield Township pioneer Jeremiah Smith, created the special bits needed to drill for oil. He worked at the Drake Well until April 20, 1862. He died in Winfield Township on July 27, 1890 and is buried in the Hannahstown Cemetery where his marker, a granite shaft, can be viewed from Route 356.
The “Oil Excitement” moved south from Titusville into Butler County and the area around the Butler-Freeport Community Trail about 1873 – 1874. The “Great Oil Belt” encompasses and is adjacent to the Community Trail. The Butler Branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad completed in 1871 enabled the movement of oil in this area especially at Dilks Siding. The oil was pumped to Dilks by the Union Pipe Company through the Humes Pump Station to 25,000 gallon capacity barrel storage tanks. It came through 3 inch pipe lines that were constructed in 1873. Dilks saw more freight traffic than Butler at the time with 50 tank cars being loaded daily with oil.
There were “wild cat” wells in the Great Oil Belt area as early as 1873. The very first well struck in Summit Township was on the Peter Schnur farm (John M. and Gertrude Schnur Osche farm) on Schnur Road. The best well in the district was drilled in 1874 on the Eichenlaub Property behind Dittmer Store. It was drilled by the Fisher Brothers at a cost of $10,000 and was known as the “Summit.” It produced 15 barrels of oil a day. Sketch done by A. Paul in 1911 donated by Flo Allison of Winfield Township.
David Kirk and Richard Dilworth, oil operators from Pithole purchased the Gottlieb Wolf farm and laid out lots. This area became known as Great Belt because it was situated in the “Great Oil Belt.” The oil Field crews worked out from this point.
The Eichenlaub and Wolf farms went on to be great producers of oil. Oil wells were often found all along the Butler-Freeport Community Trail.
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