First Oil Well in Western Canada National Historic Site
© Parks Canada
The first oil well in Western Canada was designated as a national historic site in 1965.
Commemorative plaque: Oil City, 6 km from Waterton Townsite Akamina Parkway, Waterton Lakes National Park, AlbertaFootnote 1
First Oil Well in Western Canada
The Rocky Mountain Development Company, formed in the late 1890s by John Lineham, Allan Patrick, and G. K. Leeson, commenced drilling operations on this site in 1901 and struck oil at a depth of 311 metres in 1902. Earlier drilling in the region had led to extensive natural gas discoveries but no commercially viable oil production. While the well failed to yield the expected flow of 300 barrels per day, its brief success launched Alberta’s first speculative oil boom. The independent, locally controlled company’s activities were typical of the early decades of oil exploration in Western Canada.
Description of historic place
First Oil Well in Western Canada National Historic Site of Canada is located between Cameron Creek and Mile 5 of the Akamina Highway east of the townsite of Waterton, Alberta. It consists of a well-head opening and drill stem capped by a monument in the triangular shape of an oil derrick. Archaeological remains of the buildings and machinery associated with the operations of this site are included in the designation.
Heritage value
First Oil Well in Western Canada was designated a national historic site of Canada in 1965 because: it was the first oil well in western Canada.
The heritage value of the first oil well in western Canada lies in its association with the western Canadian oil industry as illustrated by the remains of this early well. Western Canada's first oil well was discovered by John Lineham of the Rocky Mountain Development Co. in 1902. It had been drilling on the same site since 1901, and the oil was encountered at 1024 ft. While this was a small well that ran dry in 1904, its location signaled the presence of much larger fields that were later developed. Most of the visible remnants of the drilling operation were removed when the monument was erected over the well in 1968.
Sources: Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Minutes, May 1965; Commemorative Integrity Statement, September 2000
The National Program of Historical Commemoration relies on the participation of Canadians in the identification of places, events and persons of national historic significance. Any member of the public can nominate a topic for consideration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.
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