2423 Kelly Road, Oil Springs

Oil Museum of Canada

The Oil Museum of Canada in Oil Springs, owned and operated by the County of Lambton, opened on July 1, 1960 as a memorial to Canada’s oil pioneers on the site of the First Commercial Oil Well in North America dug in 1858 by James Miller Williams. People from around the world visit the museum to see and learn how history was made in the Oil Heritage District of Lambton County. At the Oil Museum of Canada visitors can experience oil history by strolling through a climate controlled two floor museum plus a Power House, Blacksmith Shop, Railway Station, Log Cabin, Industrial building and much more. A short video presentation provides the historical facts in an entertaining format and an intricate geology display shows the geological formations under the earth’s crust. Working exhibits and a wealth of petroleum industry artefacts ‘show and tell’ how a fascinating era of oil history unfolded. Observe the gum beds – stand at the site of the first commercial oil well – work a spring pole drilling rig – hear the creak of working jerker lines – marvel at the odd & unique souvenirs brought back from far away places by the foreign oil drillers – see primitive oil tools – read stories – study old photos – and have a glimpse at the ‘crude’ exciting life of the people who worked in the early oil industry. PLUS… see a clock collection – a bird egg collection – a tarantula – old photos, old tools, old dishes, and more something of interest for everyone. Historic oil wells adjacent to the museum are still producing–Take the driving tour and see them for yourself. By Donna Barnes

Sarnia Observer Article Aug 8 – year unknown – Quote by Donna McGuire, Former Curator of the Oil Museum, “…Oil Changed the world. There had been little change in lifestyle for 400 years until oil was put to use in 1858. Suddenly everything changed. And oil by products like plastic came into common use during the late 1940s and they touched everyone. There would have been no industrial revolution without crude oil.”