-
First oil well is drilled
The well was drilled near Titusville, PA, and was about 69.5 feet deep. It was drilled by Edwin Laurentine Drake, a former train conductor. The drilling of the well is very significant as it started America’s petroleum age - the era in which petroleum oil was used to power machines, lamps, and other objects and ultimately made the quality of life better. -
Transcontinental railroad is completed
This day marked the completion of the first transcontinental railroad, celebrated and completed in Utah. -
Rockefeller founds Standard Oil
The Standard Oil Trust was actually formed in 1863, but the actual company was not formed or named until 1870, when Rockefeller bought up his competition and formed one large company. His goal was to make Standard Oil the largest oil refinery firm in the world. -
Bell patents the telephone
Alexander Graham Bell was a great inventor in the late 19th century who made many important developments to the telegraph and created the first telephone with the electrician Thomas Watson. He patented the model of his telephone early so that he could beat his competition, Elisha Gray, after having heard that Gray was also working on a telephone. Three days after receiving the patent, the telephone was tested with success. -
First telephone on the White House
President Rutherford B. Hayes has the first telephone installed in the telegraph room of the white house. The treasury department had the only other direct phone number at the time. The phone number was “1”, and the president didn’t receive many phone calls. It would take another 50 years for a phone to be installed in the oval office, on the president’s desk. -
Edison perfects incandescent light bulb
In the search for the most practical and useful lightbulb, Edison tested many different filament designs for the bulbs to see which filament would last the longest, ranging from cotton to carbon. After lots of trial and error, Edison and his team found that a carbonized bamboo filament could burn for more than 1,200 hours. For this reason, bamboo was used for filaments in Edison’s light bulbs until other longer-lasting materials were discovered. -
Railroads set up standard time zones
Originally, time zones were by the minutes between close locations. (Noon in NY was a few minutes later than noon in Boston). Operators of the new railroad lines needed a new time plan that would offer a uniform train schedule for departures and arrivals. The four standard time zones were then introduced. -
First electric trolley line
The Richmond Union Passenger Railway in Richmond, VA began regular operations in 1888 with ten streetcars. Designed by Frank Julian Sprague, it was the first practical electric tram system in the country and is considered a great milestone in engineering. -
Sherman Antitrust Act is passed
This federal law, passed by congress under the presidency of Benjamin Harrison, committed the American government to opposing monopolies. The law prohibits contracts, combinations, or conspiracies “in the restraint of trade or commerce”. -
Carnegie Steel Company is formed
This steel producing company was formed in downtown Pittsburgh, PA, created by Andrew Carnegie. It was later sold to become a part of the United States Steel Corporation. -
J.P. Morgan forms U.S. Steel
U.S. steel company was formed by JP Morgan in Pittsburgh PA. He combined the Andrew Carnegie Steel Company along with the Gary’s Federal Steel Company and William Henry “Judge” Moore’s National Steel Company for $492 million.
