Santa Clarita Valley History In Pictures

Pico (CSO) No. 4
Pico Canyon

Pico No. 4, circa 1877.

California's first commercial oil well, Pico No. 4 produced 30 barrels per day when Alex Mentry completed it at a depth of 300 feet on Sept. 26, 1876 for the Star Oil Works company. The success prompted the formation of the Pacific Coast Oil Co., a forerunner of Standard Oil Co. of California.

Original photo in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.


LW2222: 9600 dpi jpeg from published copy
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