[ t . NAME C O M M O N

U N I T E C STATES D E P A R T h l E N T O F T H E INTERIOR Form 10-300 (JUIY 1969 NATIONAL P A R K S E R V I C E

NAT IONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY - NOMINATION FORM

(Type a l l entr ies - complete applicable sections)

Burn ing Sprint Complex A N D / O R H I S T O R I C :

Rathbone a n d Karns W e l l s

1

S T A T E :

West V i r g i n i a C O U N T Y ,

Wirt - FOR NPS USE O N L Y

E N T R Y N U M B E R

I - Fh. OWNEROFPROPERTY

- i

( O W N E R ' S N A M E I

D A T E

C l T Y O R TOWN.

Burn i n 6 S p r i n g s

S e e C o n t i n u a t i o n S h e e t . S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

C O D E S T A T E

West V i r g i n i a C O D E

C O D E C I T Y O R T O W N :

Wirt County C o u r t h o u s e S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

I

1 E l i z a b e t h

C O U N T Y

S T A T E :

C

I

1 West V i r g i n i a

54

I , - , 5. REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING S U R V E Y S

I T I T L E O F S U R V E Y

p- CLASS~FICATION

C O D E i C I T Y O R

< D A T E O F S U R V E Y : C Federa l ;i State County rn L o c a l z D E P O S I T O R Y F O R S U R V E Y R E C O R D S : C I

D m

S T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

Wirt

S T A T E

C l T Y O R T O W N :

0

m -

105

ACCESSIBLE

T O T H E P U B L I C

Yes:

[1T. Restricted

[? U n r e s t r ~ c t e d

0

P R E S E N T U S E (Check One o r Vore a s ~ p p r o p r i a t e )

C] A g r ~ c u l t u r a l a Government Z Park Transpor ta t ion comments

Indust r ia l -

Comrnerc~o l Pr lva te R e s ~ d e n c e Other (Specify)

0 Educa t~ona l M ~ l ~ t a r y 7 - R e l i g ~ o u s

Entertainment Museum C S c i e n t i l ~ c

STATUS

O c c u p ~ e d

Unoccup ied

Preservat ion work

i n p r o g r e s s

CATEGORY

(Check One)

D i s t r ~ c t 0 ~ ~ ~ l d ~ ~ ~

a Site 0 Structure

0 Ob lec t

OWNERSHIP

'I: Public

a P r l v ~ t e

Both

Pub l lc A c q u ~ s i t ~ o n :

I n Process

a Being Cons~de red

+ DESCRIPTION

The s t r e t c h o f r i v e r between Burning S p r i n g Run and N e t t l e Run today i s h e a v i l y wooded, b u t h e r e and t h e r e among t h e t r e e s &l impees a r e a f f o r d e d o f summer c o t t a g e s , e a c h w i t h a b o u t a n a c r e of p r o p e r t y .

1

I C O N D I T I O N

G r i l l i n g and pumping equipment s t i l l marks t h e s p o t o f t h e 1917 Mel lon W e l l , f a i r l y c l o s e t o t h e mouth o f Burning S p r i n g Run. About one t h i r d t h e d i s t a n c e toward N e t t l e Run a p lugged p i p e n e a r l y t e n f e e t i n h e i g h t marks a c t i v i t y a t t h a t s p o t . A t t h e bend i n t h e s t r e a m marked " O i l L o t t " on t h e 1963 map, a s m a l l wooden c r i b marks t h e s i t e o f a w e l l .

(Check One)

. . The L i t t l e Kanawha R i v e r , a c c o r d i n g t o " o l d - t i m e r s , " h a s e a t e n i n t o

t h e n o r t h e r n bank s e v e r a l f e e t s i n c e 1860 , s o t h a t some o f t h e e a r l y w e l l s may be now u n d e r w a t e r o r s a n d .

D E S C R I B E T H E P R E S E N T A N D O R I G I N A L ( i f known) P H Y S I C A L A P P E A R A N C E

@ Excellent 5 Good C Falr 3 Detergorated Q R ~ u ~ n s Unexpos.od

I n 1860 t h e a r e a was f a rm l a n d and r e l a t i v e l y c l e a r , e x c e p t f o r o i l d e r r i c k s , a s i n d i c a t e d i n one o f t h e accompanying p h o t o g r a p h s .

The Rader H o t e l i s t h e o n l y b u i l d i n g i n t h e r e s e r v e d a r e a more t h a n 75 y e a r s o l d . To t h e c a s u a l t o u r i s t , excep t f o r t h i s b u i l d i n g and an o c c a s i o n a l c o t t a g e , t h i s a r e a would a p p e a r a l m o s t p r i m e v a l .

(Check One) 1 / I

3 Altered la Unaltered

(Check One)

0 Moved a Original Site

ERIOO (Check One or ,More a s Appropriete?

0 Pre-Columbion 16th Century 0 18th Century 0 20th Century

15th Century J 17th Century 0 19th Century

, P E C I F I C D A T E t S ) (If Applicable a n d Known) 1860

R E A S OF S ~ ~ N I F ~ ~ A N C E (Check One or More a s Appropriate)

Abor iginol G Education 0 Political 0 Urban Planning

0 Prehistoric Engineering Religion/Phi. Other (Specify)

0 Historic Industry losophy

Agriculture Invention Science

Architecture Londscope 0 Sculpture

0 Art Architecture Socio l/Humon-

0 Commerce 0 Literature itorion

0 Cmmunicotions 0 Military Theater

0 Conservation Music (? Tronsportotion

T A T E M E N T O F S I G N I F I C A N C E

The l a n d a l o n g t h e L i t t l e Kanawha R i v e r between Burning S p r i n g Run and l e t t l e Run i s a t t h e f o c a l p o i n t o f t h e o r i g i n of t h e w o r l d f s s e c o n d g r e a t 1i1 f i e l d , s p r i n g i n g up o n l y months a f t e r t h e Drake Well i n P e n n s y l v a n i a , rhich was b rough t i n on August 26 , 1859.

" A t t h e o u t b r e a k o f t h e C i v i l War t h e r e were bu t two p r o d u c i n g o i l i i e l d s i n t h e w o r l d , T i t u s v i l l e and Burning Springs." '

"Burning S p r i n g s i s t h e f i r s t m i l i t a r y o i l o b j e c t i v e i n t h e h i s t o r y o f r a r f a r e , ~ ~ h a v i n g been d e s t r o y e d by Gene ra l Wi l l i am E. J o n e s on May 9 , 1863 r i t h a l o s s e s t i m a t e d by o p e r a t o r s o f t h a t day a t 300,000 b a r r e l s . I n f a c t , l e s p i t e t h e s i l e n c e o f h i s t o r y on t h i s p o i n t , 'Burning S p r i n g s was t h e most . p o r t a n t i n d u s t r i a l complex i n enemy hands d e s t r o y e d by t h e C o n f e d e r a t e s .n t h e c o u r s e o f t h e War.'

The s i t e b e i n g nomina ted w i t n e s s e d t h e d r i l l i n g o f s e v e r a l w e l l s , two I£ p a r t i c u l a r impor t ance t h a t p r e c i p i t a t e d a r u s h t o West V i r g i n i a t h a t :rested a town (Burn ing S p r i n g ) o f 5 ,000 o v e r n i g h t .

From t h e s t a n d p o i n t o f i t s e f f e c t , t h e s i n g l e most i m p o r t a n t w e l l lex t t o Drake ' s was t h e s e c o n d d r i l l e d by t h e Rathbone B r o t h e r s , J. V. and r. D . , and J. N . Camden, i n t h e summer o f 1860, which p r o d u c e d 4 0 o r 50 )arrels an hour and s t i r r e d t h e i m a g i n a t i o n and dreams of hungry e a s t e r n . n v e s t o r s . The Rathbones gave s u b s t a n c e t o t h e i r dreams i n 1860 a n d t h e io l lowing y e a r , when they " s u r v e y e d t h e i r e n t i r e 600 a c r e s a t Burn ing l p r i n g s i n t o one-acre p a r c e l s , a n d o f f e r e d t o l e a s e one a c r e t o a l l comers :or a r o y a l t y o f t h e p r o d u c t i o n . " 4

Ano the r i m p o r t a n t w e l l i n o i l h i s t o r y is t h a t worked by a n A l l e g h e n y :ounty , Pa . man,Sherman D. K a r n s , a t t h e mouth o f Burning S p r i n g Run, which le g o t i n t o p r o d u c t i o n l a t e i n Februa ry o f 1860. H i s lease f rom t h e Rath- )ones , c o n t r a c t e d on Februa ry 2 0 , c a n be r e g a r d e d a s t h e f i r s t s o u t h o f t h e [ason and Dixon l i n e . The w e l l had been d r i l l e d i n 1832 f o r s a l t . I t was lal t t h a t had b rough t t h e Rathbones from New York C i t y i n 1840 , b u t it was : a r n s q w e l l t h a t s h i f t e d t h e i r a t t e n t i o n t o t h e p o s s i b i l i t i e s of o i l , j u s t .hen coming i n t o i t s own a s an i l l u r n i n a n t and l u b r i c a n t , due i n p a r t t o t h e i c a r c i t y o f wha le o i l . The Rathbones were a l r e a d y s e l l i n g m e d i c i n a 1 " R o c k O i

The Rathbones t h e n d r i l l e d t h e f i r s t two of many wells a few r o d s n o r t h I £ Burning S p r i n g Run and f o r g e d a f a m i l y t r a d i t i o n i n o i l t h a t l e d t o

1. L o u i s Reed, " C o n f l i c t a n d E r r o r i n t h e H i s t o r y o f O i l , " West V i r g i n i a 1

4. I b i d . , p . 2 2 . I

9. MAJOR B I R L I O G R A P H I C A L REFERENCES 7- L e e , Howard B. The - Burning S p r i n g s and Othe r T a l e s o f t h e L i t t l e Kanawta. - - - p a r s o n s , W. Va. , 1968 .

Reed. L o u i s " C o n f l i c t and E r r o r i n t h e H i s t o r v o f O i l . " West V i r g i n i a u --

H i s t o r y , Vol . 25 , No. 1 ( O c t o b e r 1 9 6 3 ) , pp . 21-26. Thoenen, Eugene D. The P e t r o l e u m I n d u s t r y i n West V i r g i n i a , 1860-1900. --

Morgantown, 1956- Reed, L o u i s . The O i l M i l l i n Wirt County . H s . , 1969. ----- R o b e r t s , Glen W . E a r l y O i l Development i n West V i r g i n i a . M s , 1923. -- - R o l s t o n , J u l i a n K . The F i r s t Decade o f t h c P e t r o l e u m I n d u s t r y i n t h e Hid- -- - - ---

Ohio Vallle . M s , M.A. t h e s i s , 1948 , M a r i e t t a C o l l e g e , H a r i e t t a , Ohio . Y G E O G R A P H I C A L DATA -- -- . -

L A T I T U D E A N D L O N G I T U D E C O O R D I N A T E 7 1 L A T I T U D E A N D L O N G I T U D E C O O R D I N A T E S

Degrees Minutes Minutes Seconds 0

- . . . - - - - - -

D E F I N I N G A R E C T A N G L E L O C A T I N G T H E pROP;RTY

Degrees Minutes Seconds

NW 38O59 31.38- N E 38'59 31.38' S E 38O59 1 0 1 . 5 8 sw 1 3 8 ~ 5 ~ 1 ' n i r~ I ~i 0 1 9 '15.ml 1 - I

~ P P R O X I M A T E A C R E A G E O F NOMINATED P R O P E R T Y :

. IST A L L S T A T E S A N D C O U N T I E S F O R P R O P E R T I E S O V E R L A P P I N G S T A T E O R C O U N T Y B O U N D A R I E S

0 R

: O R N E R L A T I T U D E

Deg:ees Minutes Seconds

8 1 0 1 9 915.80 8 1 ° 1 ' ) '01-6.:.56 3 1 o 1 9 04.3'6

L O N G I T U D E

D E F ~ N ~ ~ G T H E C E N T E R P O I N T O F A P R O P E R T Y O F L E S S T H A N T E N A C R E S

.- -

L A T I T U D E

I I I

L O N G 1 T U D E

C O U N T Y C O D E I T A T E :

I 1 I --- FORM P R E P B Y -

C O D E

C O U N T Y : C O D E I T A T E :

C O U N T Y : C O D E i T A T E :

I I I

A M E A N D T I T L E :

C l i f f o r d M. Lewis , S. J. R G A N l Z A T I O N IDATE

C O D E

C O D E

; T A T E :

I T Y O R TOWN:

Whee l ing

C O D E

Whee l ing C o l l e g e

"

STATE L l A f S O N OFFtCER C E R T I F f C A l ION

C O U N T Y : C O D E

August 1 5 , 1971

As the des igna ted S ta te Lia i son Off icer for the Na-

t iona l His tor ic Preserva t ion Act of 1966 ( P u b l i c L a w

89-665), I hereby nominate t h i s property for inc lus ion

i n t h e Nat iona l Regis te r and certify that it h a s been

eva lua ted according to the cri ter la and procedures s e t

forth b y the National P a r k Serv ice . The recommended

l e v e l of s i g n i f i c a n c e of th i s nomination is:

National a State Z L o c a l 3

T R E E T A N D N U M B E R :

Name - D a l l a s 3. ~ h a f f e f l

T i t l e S t a t e L i a i s o n O f f i c e r

D a t e F e b r u a r y 1 5 , 1971

r A T E C O D E

West V i r g i n i a - N A T I O N A L REGISTER V E R t F l C A T l O N

I hereby cert ify that th i s property is included in the

Nat iona l Regis te r .

Chief , Office of Archeology a n d His tor ic Preserva t ion

C a t e

ATTEST:

Keeper of T h e National R e g i s t e r

L a t e

Fig. 1

Map accompanying , , , .-•

r e c o r d 'Sf ' 0 c t .'- 7 th ; 1863

Wirt County k e d Book No. 4

Fig. 2

OIL IN THE VALLEY

. THE ORIGINAL RAT'rfBONE WELL

; David A. Roberts came from near Baltimore to Burniilg S- in 1860 and ; , . became a successful oil producer. He p a d this picture on to his cCildren It is

now owned by his granddaughter, Mrs. Helen Niarsh rrdrz &don) W t e of Lowell, Ohio. Mrs. White is the daughter of the late Senator L'-rey 1- a d Dis late wife, Nir Kate Roberts Marsh, of Parkersburg. Note tSe 4 beam I No spring pole. Standing on the opposite side of the river. ktb this picture ic band, one is able to locate almost the exact site of that ancient by the doping i

umtw of the hilltop in the background.