Historic Landmark Awards in August 2009 – Save the Dates Pittsburgh, August 26 and Titusville, August 27 In 1859 Edwin Drake was the first person in the world to apply well drilling technology to produce significant quantities of crude petroleum, at Titusville, PA. However, it is a little known fact that Samuel Kier of Pittsburgh was the first person to refine crude oil by distillation, five years earlier than Drake’s discovery, in about 1854. Kier’s primary product was kerosene, a clean burning lamp fuel. In addition, in 1861 Charles Lockhart built the first commercial scale oil refinery, in Pittsburgh’s Highland Park neighborhood. That plant was put to use to refine crude oil produced at Titusville. Lockhart became a prominent citizen of East Liberty and a generous philanthropist. To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the drilling of the Drake well, the American Chemical Society (ACS) will present a National Historical Chemical Landmark award at Titusville on Thursday August 27, 2009. In addition, an ACS National Historical Chemical Landmark award commemorating Samuel Kier’s work will be presented in Pittsburgh on Wednesday August 26. Today’s extensive worldwide petroleum industry is a direct outgrowth of the efforts of Drake and Kier, first demonstrated in Western Pennsylvania. The Titusville event will be held at the Drake Well Museum and the Pittsburgh event will take place at the Senator John Heinz History Center, Downtown. Both events, which are free and open to the public, will include symposia on energy related topics, with the Pittsburgh speakers covering the contributions of Kier and Lockhart among other topics. The Pittsburgh event will start with registration at 8:30 am and run until noon. For further information, contact the organizer of these events, Al Mann, 412-661-5947, alfred.mann@verizon.net.