Steven Heggestad, age 13, of Sealy, Texas, for his question:

Where was the first U.S. oil well discovered?

The American Indians used oil that seeped to the surface ages ago and so did the early pioneers These oily puddles and tacky deposits of tar were found in Kentucky and Ohio, in Pennsylvania and many other states. But the first honest to goodness United States oil well was drilled near a town in Pennsylvania called Titusville. It was originally the brainstorm of George Bissel, a businessman who saw a market for petroleum products as fuels and lubricants. Several people had tapped buried oil by mistake, when drilling for water. Bissel seems to be the first American who decided to drill for oil on purpose.

Bissel's first attempt failed, and eventually Edwin Drake was hired for the job. Drake took on a team of helpers, a blacksmith called Uncle Billy Smith. and Uncle Billy's two sons. They erected a wooden rig and started to probe down with a steam powered drill. This was in June, 1859. The work was delayed by water and cave ins, and Drake had to drive an iron case down to solid rock. It worked. On August 27, the well brought oil from 69 feet almost to the surface.  A pump was installed and the first United States oil well began yielding 10 to 35 barrels a day.