UPCOMING EVENTS

Wisdom & Wine: History of Idle & Orphan Wells in America

Thursday, March 28, 2024

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with Happy Hour, featuring wine selections from Brokenstraw Valley Winery and light refreshments. Lecture begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for members of Friends of Drake Well and $10 for non-members. Wisdom & Wine Lecture Series is sponsored by CSR Services, LLC.

The final installment for this year's Wisdom & Wine Series will feature "History of Idle and Orphan Wells in America" by Dan Arthur. The presentation will discuss how prior to the 1800s there were many accounts of oil being used for a variety of purposes, although this was largely from oil found in surface seeps. In the early 1800s, oil was discovered when salt miners were drilling to recover salt from underground salt deposits in Appalachia. In 1821, the first commercial gas well was drilled in Fredonia, New York. Then, in 1859, the first commercial oil well was drilled by Edwin Drake. Since those early discoveries and developments, millions of oil & gas wells have been drilled in America. Unfortunately, through ongoing cycles of demand and commodity prices, many wells have become orphaned while others cannot be economically produced. This leaves millions of wells to be plugged – all of which are different and were drilled & completed using a variety of technologies and materials. Understanding the history of these wells is crucial to addressing this problem. This talk will present the history of these wells as well as the significance of the problem we face today.

Mr. Arthur is a registered professional petroleum engineer specializing in oil & gas upstream, environmental, and asset decommissioning. He has 40 years of diverse experience that includes work in industry, government, and consulting. Mr. Arthur is a founding member of ALL Consulting and has served as the company’s President & Chief Engineer since its inception in 1999. Prior to founding ALL Consulting, Mr. Arthur served as a vice president of upstream energy services at a large international consulting engineering firm, an Enforcement Officer and National Expert for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a drilling and operations engineer with an independent oil producer, and he worked for Halliburton in the mid-continent. Mr. Arthur is also the Vice President of Well Plugging Initiatives of CSR Services, LLC (a Pennsylvania well service & plugging company); Chief Technology Officer of Total Methane Technologies; and Chief Engineer of DynaVert Holdings (a Carbon Credit Project Development Company).

View the Total Solar Eclipse @ Drake Well!

Monday, April 8, 2024

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

The Great American Total Solar Eclipse will take place on Monday, April 8, 2024! Drake Well Museum and Park, sitting just within the path of totality*, will be OPEN that day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Admission to the Museum will be buy one, get one free. Drake Well Museum will also have special eclipse viewers available on a first come, first serve basis the day of the event. Viewing the eclipse from the park surrounding the Museum is free; visitors are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets. Don't miss out on this historic event - the next total eclipse in our area won't happen again until 2144!

*Totality will last approximately 51 seconds at Drake Well (compared to 3 minutes and 41 seconds in Downtown Erie). Erie is expecting to draw between 50,000 to 100,000 visitors for the Eclipse. Beat the crowds and hang out with us at Drake Well!

For more information on the 2024 Eclipse, visit these cool sites:
https://science.nasa.gov/eclip...
https://www.visiterie.com/ecli...
https://eclipse2024.org/mapvie...
https://eclipse2024.org/eclips...

Oil Creek 5 & 13 Stacked Trail Races

Saturday, May 18, 2024

7:00 a.m. start for 5-mile race; 8:30 a.m. start for 13-mile race

The 3rd Annual Oil Creek 5 & 13 Stacked Trail Races feature a 5-mile race and 13-mile race utilizing paths and trails around the Drake Well Museum, including the Gerard Hiking Trail in Oil Creek State Park. The races feature an exciting twist: the “Stacked Challenge.” Race start times are staged 90 minutes apart with the 5-mile race starting first bright and early at 7 a.m. followed by the 13-mile race at 8:30 a.m. This allows the option for participants to run one or both races, competing for the fastest “stacked” finish time. There is a strict 90-minute cutoff for those attempting both race distances! Finisher awards for each race distance are awarded as well as awards for the Stacked Challenge. Registration is now OPEN, go to www.drakewell.org/events/trailraces for more information and the registration link!

Wildcatter Day at Pithole

Saturday, June 29, 2024

10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Come explore Pennsylvania's legendary oil boomtown! Visitors will enjoy guided tours, living history and more.

Discovery Day Camp

July 11, 18 or 25, 2024

9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Join Drake Well Museum and Park for our fun-filled day camp. Children ages 8-12 can participate in this day long, hands-on program and learn about the Oil Region’s rich history and environment. Registration required. Sponsored by CSR Services, LLC.

Drake Well Marathon & Half

Sunday, August 18, 2024

7:00 a.m. Start

The ever-popular Drake Well Marathon & Half is back again for 2024! Participants will experience the beauty of historic Oil Creek and nearby Titusville as they run along shaded streets and creek banks. The community comes together for this event with amazing volunteers and friends to cheer along participants. All proceeds from the race benefit Friends of Drake Well, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based organization, which partners with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the administration of Drake Well Museum and Park. The date of the race will be announced as soon as possible; registration will open in late winter/early spring 2024. Check back on this page for updates!

Drake Day: Circus

Sunday, August 11, 2024

Join us at Drake Well Museum and Park in celebrating the 165th Anniversary of Edwin Drake's well striking oil on August 27, 1859!

3rd Annual Oil Boom Dinner

Thursday, September 5, 2024

5:00 p.m.

Join us for an evening of delectable dishes made from authentic 19th century recipes! This event benefits Friends of Drake Well, Inc., in its mission to support Drake Well Museum and Park. More details coming soon.

Fall Gas Up

Saturday, September 14, 2024

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Visit Drake Well Museum and Park for its 40th Annual Fall Gas Up, sponsored by the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania, and experience the engines and equipment that powered Pennsylvania’s oil fields! Displays will include operating and stationary antique engines, farm and oil field equipment, tractors, models, and more. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens, and $5 for children ages 3-11; members of Friends of Drake Well are FREE. Entrance into the Drake Well Museum and its outdoor exhibits is included with admission; the museum will be open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Any collector is welcome and encouraged to bring engines and equipment to display at the event! Engines ranging in size from small Maytags used to power washing machines to large oilfield engines that pumped multiple wells will be displayed by exhibitors from across the tri-state area. Members of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society, based in Saegertown, Pennsylvania, will also feature engines, tractors, and related equipment. Exhibitor registration will take place the day of the event, no pre-registration is required.

Historic Pithole City Lantern Tours

Saturday, October 5, 2024

6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.

Join us for the Historic Pithole City Lantern Tours and experience history as it comes to life! Visitors will walk the former streets of the legendary oil boomtown, meeting some of Pithole's most famous historical figures along the way. Tours depart every 10 minutes beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the last tour departing at 9:30 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, wear weather-appropriate clothing, and bring a flashlight. NOTE: the tours cover steep hills and semi-rugged terrain. Please wear sturdy shoes suitable for walking. Tours are walking only; golf carts and other vehicles are not provided.