In 1859, events took place on opposite sides of the Atlantic that created two of the most powerful industries in the world.
First, Edwin Drake drilled the first oil well in the U.S. in Titusville, Pennsylvania.
Then, J.J. Etienne Lenoir built the first single cylinder two-stroke internal combustion engine in Paris, France. But that’s about as close as the oil and automotive industries would get for another four decades.
John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler built a viable oil industry following Drake’s discovery. The first refinery in the United States began in 1862; it mainly produced kerosene as well as a byproduct, gasoline, which didn’t have much use at the time.
Across the Atlantic in Paris, Lenoir used his invention to power the hydrogen fuel-powered Hippomobile: A marvel of the time that could travel 11 miles in about three hours. You could walk that distance faster. …show more content…
Originally, Gumper’s pump, invented by one of the most fantastically named men ever, Sylvanus Freelove Bowser, reliably measured and dispensed kerosene. After Henry Ford’s Model T’s started rolling off the line in 1908, Bowser realized his pump was perfect for use at filling stations. By 1910, Bowser had evolved his pump into the metered gasoline
First, Edwin Drake drilled the first oil well in the U.S. in Titusville, Pennsylvania.
Then, J.J. Etienne Lenoir built the first single cylinder two-stroke internal combustion engine in Paris, France. But that’s about as close as the oil and automotive industries would get for another four decades.
John D. Rockefeller and Henry Flagler built a viable oil industry following Drake’s discovery. The first refinery in the United States began in 1862; it mainly produced kerosene as well as a byproduct, gasoline, which didn’t have much use at the time.
Across the Atlantic in Paris, Lenoir used his invention to power the hydrogen fuel-powered Hippomobile: A marvel of the time that could travel 11 miles in about three hours. You could walk that distance faster. …show more content…
Originally, Gumper’s pump, invented by one of the most fantastically named men ever, Sylvanus Freelove Bowser, reliably measured and dispensed kerosene. After Henry Ford’s Model T’s started rolling off the line in 1908, Bowser realized his pump was perfect for use at filling stations. By 1910, Bowser had evolved his pump into the metered gasoline