Petrolia - Canada's Victorian Oil Town

Historical reasons:
The site was part of the property holdings of J.J. Kerr who sold it to Thomas Kelly on April 9, 1881. Thomas Kelly built the house in 1887 based on plans by the architect Isaac Erb. The date 1887, as well as the name of the craftsman, J. Whitehead, was found inscribed on the back of a piece of wood trim within the house. The architect, Isaac Erb, was an important local figure, whose other buildings include St. Paul's United Church and The Oddfellows’ Hall.

In 1890 it became the property of the Methodist Church, and remained so until 1898. Subsequently, it was owned by Amelia Riggin until 1909, and later by Emelyn Shaunessy until 1920. In 1920 it became the property of John Charles Reid. In 1928, Donald W. Duncan, a prominent dentist, who gave it the name “Green Gables”, purchased it. In 1945 it became the home of John and Carrie Morrison. The present owners purchased Green Gables in 1974.

Architectural reasons:
Green Gables is an excellent example of late Victorian architecture. It is one of the very few houses in Petrolia that was designed by an architect, and its details demonstrate the variety and complexity of architectural features to be found in Victorian structures. The façade illustrates the use of high-shingled gables, shelf window entablatures, and decorative cornice and frieze. Classical columns incorporated in a frontal porch with a picket rail support the front sloping roof. A fine stained glass window faces north. On the east side, a cross gable projects outward, which accentuates the vertical height of the building. The exterior of Green Gables is covered in white and green rounded clapboard.

THE CANADIAN OIL REGION Dec., 20 1862.
{ from an article in the Leisure Hour magazine ca.1862 }
In a former number we gave an account of the wonder-
ful springs of " mineral oil," as it is termed in some
parts of the United States. The following extracts
from a letter, which appeared in the " Toronto Leader,"
will be read with interest:—
" Leaving London by the 2.40 P.M. train, your correspond-
dent went direct to Wyoming—the debarking point for
Black Creek, as any one might suppose who is favored
with a sense of smell. The peculiar odor of the oil,
which is here stored in large quantities for carriage to
the eastern markets, is perceived, especially if the wind
happens to be favorable, at the distance of a mile or
two. I noticed that the large platform was covered with
the blackest and oiliest of barrels, saying nothing of the
hundreds of empty ones which were returned from the
east, and which, in promiscuous heaps, oftentimes twenty
feet high, covered the ground for rods. The rapid im-
portance this place has assumed is astonishing. A few
months ago, and it was no place: now it is the place;
then there was a station at a distance of a few miles on
either side of it: it was not even a stopping point; now
it has stores and shops of every kind. Post office, car-
penters, shoemakers, tailors, blacksmiths—in fact, all the
trades are represented; and two doctors hang out their
shingles. A fine foundry has just been got into opera-
tion. There are livery stables and teams here without
number, and last, but -never least, hotels of a very good
kind. From the crowd of drivers, hotel-runners, and
lounging stragglers, one would almost suppose himself
at the station of a city. So great is the increase of busi-
ness on the Sarnia branch of the Great Western that the
company are now removing one of the neighboring sta-
tions to this place, and are erecting storehouses for the oil.
" With the arrival of the morning train from Sarnia,
which, by the way, is only seventeen miles distant, and
is the resting place of great numbers of Americans, who
come here, I took one of the half dozen stages that run
to the oil regions. I am sure not less than thirty-five
or forty passengers went out on the same day to the
creek. The road for the first six miles was tolerably
good, though, the country being a dead level, with a soil
of heavy clay, drainage is difficult. The road passes
through the center of the township, is cut and cleared
most of the way, and is partially ditched. But soon, we
hope, the labors of the energetic contractor, who is
building a plank road from Wyoming to Black Creek,
will render the route less wearisome than at present.
At a distance of four miles we come to a store and
tavern; this is Petrolia. West from it about half a mile
are the wells known as ' Kelly's Wells.' Those at one
time attracted considerable attention. There are here
about a dozen wells yielding tolerably. A refinery has
been-built at a cost of about 10,000 dollars. It is now
just commencing operations. Proceeding, we occasion-
ally passed finely cultivated farms. For the last five
miles of the journey the road is fearfully rough, but will
soon be " planked."
We arrived safely at Black Creek in time to partake of
a good rough dinner, in company with thirty or forty
others. Having fallen in with an acquaintance, I was
much assisted in my tour of the territory. The place-
Black Creek—derives its name from a creek of that
name running through the oil region. It is about half
way between the eastern and western limits of Enniskil-
len township, but, at the extreme south end, distant from
Wyoming twelve miles ; from Sarnia twenty-four; from
the St. Clair River about sixteen. The township is about
eleven miles square, situated in the county of Lambton
soil, heavy clay; timber, oak of the most magnificent-
kind, elm, ash, white wood, beach, maple, hickory of the
largest size, basswood, walnut—in fact, all kinds of hard
wood. Judging from the settlements, there is no doubt
that, with a thorough system of drainage, this would
become one of the first townships in Canada. But I am
wandering from my subject proper. With my friend,.
who kindly acted the guide, I spent a few days at the
diggings, learning all could from those best posted,
" I found the oil region extending over a limited space.
From the tests already made, the oil men have concluded
that it does not extend all over the township, as some at
first supposed. Black Creek seems to be the richest
territory yet discovered in Canada, and, according to
some of the best authorities, it is the richest in America.
Wandering along the banks and in the flats of the stream,
which certainly deserves the name it bears, I at every
few rods came across a well. They were in every stage
of procedure. . Some were just commenced ; some were
just finished; from many, men were pumping oil into
huge vats. Here let me say that the wells are of differ-
ent kinds. First, there are the surface wells, so called
because they are only sunk to the rock; these are for
the most part on the flats of the creek. Some of them,.
when within a few feet of the rock, quickly fill with oil,
which, with much noise and uproar of gas, bursts in from
the loose gravelly substance overlying the rook. I have
known wells fifty feet deep and five feet square, fill to the
very brim with oil. Nay, I have seen it flow over the
top and run away in a stream, wasting hundreds of bar-
rels. These wells are dug large, the sides are cribbed,.
and then puddled, so as to keep out the surface water.
Surface wells are dug and finished for about three dol-
lars per foot. The oil from these wells is thicker and'
less pure than that from the rook wells; but a refiner
told me that, though it was harder to deodorize and refine
than the rock oil, yet, when manufactured, it made the
best oil; having more body, it gave the best light, and
burnt longer. It is also best for lubricating purposes.
For rock wells they frequently sink a well like a surface
well, and then drill; but more frequently the soil is.
bored out with a large auger until the rock is reached,
a distance varying from forty to seventy feet. Them
piping, like pump logs, is put in and driven down snug
on the rock. After this the slow process of drilling is
carried on by foot, horse-power, or with steam engines,
sinking from a few inches to perhaps ten feet per day,
according to the nature of the rock. This drilling is
done for about 2 dollars and 50 cents per foot. The cha-
racter of the rock seems to vary with every well. It is
generally, however, soapstone, with layers of shale, which
is here in very small quantities, though at other parts of
the township I have known drillers to go through fifty
or sixty feet without change. There are also layers of
sandstone, flint rock, and sulphate of iron; these vary
in quantities at every well, though distant but a few
rods. In the soapstone the oil is generally found, and
at various distances from the surface. A continuation
of little veins may be struck; then all at once a larger
one, which may cause the oil to be forced in immense-
quantities out of the pipe. My friend led me until I was
tired, and I had seen more oil and more wells in opera-
tion, and in course of being sunk, than I had ever
imagined as being in this county. I was told there
were hundreds, that before January five hundred wells
will be down; and I believe it. I came across a well
every few rods. There, in the wild woods, were hundreds
of men, all quiet, intent upon their work. There was no
talking, but tramp,' tramp, tramp went the foot, click,
click, click the sharp sound of the drill as the steel bit
its way in the rock. In a few places in the woods we
encountered buildings of more pretentious appearance
than the majority; here were wells worked by steam-
en "ines. How they were ever got in I know not; but
here they are, working night and day. Large vats and
tanks held the oil: some of them hold one thousand
barrels; the largest are immense pits sunk in the stiff
clay, cribbed and puddled, and these, they say, are better
than wooden vats, which leak the oil out, so penetrating
is it. There being no pine, the houses are for the most
part built of logs or bark of the elm, which is here
stripped for that purpose. The life led by the oilmen
very much resembles that of the gold digger of Cali-
fornia. There was much discomfort; but the prospect
of gain is better and more reliable than ever held out by
California. Scarcely a well at Black Creek fails. Fabu-
lous prices have been paid for good wells. Some acre
lots sell as high as 1000 dollars. Hundreds of people
are coming in every week from all parts of America, most
of them being from Ohio and Pennsylvania—men who
have seen the good thing made by those who were lucky
in getting into the Pennsylvania oil regions at the be-
ginning, but who were too poor to do anything there
now. They are men of limited capital for the most part,
but of untiring energy and industry. They are of all
trades and professions; and, I must say, considering
there are some six or seven hundred there, they are well
conducted.
" There is no doubt of it—a source of untold wealth
is in our midst—an oil territory richer than any yet dis-
covered— and yet we Canadians won't let ourselves know
it, until people from another country come in and take
advantage of opportunities that we let slip. If a particle
of gold had been found there, how soon would the country
ring with the tidings ! Thanks, however, to the enter-
prise of some of the Torontonians, the Americans are
no longer to enjoy a monopoly of the oil refining busi-
ness. One firm in Toronto is buying some thousand
barrels, while another is introducing it largely into
Europe. Once the European market is opened, it must
create an immense trade, for a substance from which are
made refined toilet soaps, candles superior to wax, oil
that gives a cheaper and not less beautiful light than
gas, and much more convenient, and furnishing the best
machine and lubricating oil yet known, must ultimately
be brought into universal use."