On October 29, 1870, the Petroleum Centre Daily Record shared that a rumor had spread through town the previous “Wear such clothing as will excite no regrets should they be covered with mud or grease, as they inevitably will.”¹ Bone’s tips went beyond just clothing. He suggested bringing long waterproof boots, a light travel bag, a blanket, and some emergency food to make the trip easier. If someone couldn’t handle the mud, rough roads, bad meals, and uncomfortable places to stay, Bone said th

In 1865, J. H. A. Bone offered simple advice to those visiting the Oil Region in Pennsylvania in his guidebook: “Wear such clothing as will excite no regrets should they be covered with mud or grease, as they inevitably will.”¹ Bone’s tips went beyond just clothing. He suggested bringing long waterproof boots, a light travel bag, a blanket, and some emergency food to make the trip easier. If someone couldn’t handle the mud, rough roads, bad meals, and uncomfortable places to stay, Bone said th

The oil boom did not end when the sun went down. After the deals were made, the barrels hauled, and the wells tended, thousands of people still needed somewhere to sleep.