Oil field towns such as Oil Hill and Midian were built and maintained by oil companies such as Cities Service. These towns were fast growing and held an excitment in the early years when people moved in at all hours of the day and night. Life here was much like any other town except there were drilling rigs everywhere you looked, and those who lived here worked for the same company. This created and [sic] close knit community because everyone had the same boss.
Business included: Oil Company Offices & Garages, Pipe & Lumber Yards, Machine & Blacksmith Shops, Cafes, Grocery & General Stores, Barber Shops, Doctor & Post Offices, Gas & Fire Stations, Boarding Houses, Welfare Hall (mainly used for entertainment), Model Homes, Butcher Shops & Bakeries.
By the 1940's oil production dropped, and fewer men were needed in the field. By the 1950's most buildings had either been torn down or moved away. The former residents moved into El Dorado or found jobs in other areas. When the oil boom was over, not much of these oil field communities remained. Today only abandoned flower beds and concrete sidewalks are left to tell the story.
This living history area represents those forgotten communities. The recreated street uses authentic historic buildings from the early oil boom days to preserve this unique past. The project was made possible by the K.T. Wiedermann Foundation, Inc. and private donors.
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