Norman No. 1 Oil Well facts for kids
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Norman No. 1 Oil Well Site
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The well in 1893
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | Northeast corner of Mill and First Streets, Neodesha, Kansas |
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| Area | 1-acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1892 |
| Architect | McBride, A.P.; Bloom, Cam |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000846 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | August 28, 1974 |
| Designated NHL | December 22, 1977 |
The Norman No. 1 Oil Well Site is where an old oil well used to be. You can find it in Neodesha, Kansas, USA, at the corner of Mill and First Streets. This well was drilled on November 28, 1892. It was the first successful oil well in a huge area called the Mid-Continent oil field. This discovery started a big "oil boom" that spread across states like Kansas, Texas, and Louisiana. Today, the well site is a small public park. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 1977 because of its important history.
Exploring the Norman No. 1 Site
The Norman No. 1 Oil Well Site is in Neodesha, a small town in southeastern Kansas. It sits on the northeast corner of 1st and East Mill Streets. (Don't confuse it with the replica oil derrick on Main Street!) The site is part of a small public park, about 1 acre (0.4 hectares) in size. It's located right next to the Verdigris River.
The park has open grassy areas and a small parking spot. The exact place where the original oil well stood is marked by a special plaque. This park used to have a small visitor center, a playground, restrooms, and even a copy of the oil derrick. However, all these things had to be removed. Why? Because the area kept flooding due to the nearby river.
A Glimpse into History: How Oil Was Discovered
Long before settlers came, Native Americans in the Neodesha area knew about "gas springs" that glowed. These natural gas seeps were a unique feature of the land. When people started moving west, reports of these glowing springs reached William Mills. He was an oil explorer who came to the town to investigate.
Mills chose several spots to drill for oil. One of these spots was on land owned by T.J. Norman, who was a local blacksmith. On November 28, 1892, something amazing happened. The well struck oil at a depth of 832 feet (254 meters)! This discovery quickly led to a local "oil boom." Soon, other oil finds expanded this boom to a much larger area, creating the huge Mid-Continent oil field.
Life and Legacy of Norman No. 1
The Norman No. 1 oil well kept working until 1919. That year, part of its casing (the pipe lining the well) broke. After that, the equipment around the well was taken apart.
In 1961, the city decided to honor the well's history. They built a replica of the original derrick and other equipment on the site. This turned the area into a small park and a place for tourists to visit. However, because of the repeated flooding from the river, the replica derrick and the museum were moved. In 1989, they found a new home on Main Street, away from the floodwaters.
