Tide Water’s efforts many times - by destroying the company’s credit, buying out the independent oil refineries buying Tide Water’s oil, and buying a strip of land across the entire state in an attempt to thwart the new pipeline - but, when his efforts were futile, the Standard Oil Company bought one-third of Tide Water’s stock, giving the Tide Water Oil Company control over more than 10% of the oil market. Eventually, the Tide Water pipeline stretched to Bayonne, NJ, where the oil could be sold at higher prices. In 2004, Doug’s hard work restoring this site was featured in This Old House Magazine, detailing his commitment to this piece of history. View & read the article here: www.pumphousebandb.com/history.
Workers installing the Tidewater Oil Company pipeline.
the eastern oil regions of the state to the city of Williamsport, where the oil could be collected and refined. They named their endeavor the Tidewater Oil Company, hoping that their pipe would eventually stretch all the way to the “tide water” of the eastern seaboard. The pipeline was a completely new way of transporting oil. Until then, oil had been carried in barrels loaded onto horse-drawn wagons. Not only was the system time-consuming and labor- intensive, but it was expensive. The only alternative was the railroad companies, many of which were owned by John Rockefeller himself. A pipeline would not only eliminate the expensive teamsters and the monopolistic railroads, but it would increase the speed at which oil could be transported. In only a week, oil pumped directly out of the ground could pass over the Pennsylvania terrain and into the receiving tanks at Williamsport. John Rockefeller, his Standard Oil Company, and the rest of the world were amazed at the success of the three American entrepreneurs who had destroyed the old tenets of oil transportation and installed a new, cheap, and miraculously efficient way of drilling and carrying oil. Rockefeller attempted to sabotage
The Pump House has come a long way from its fossil fuel roots. Today Lisa and Doug have over 80 solar panels, they encourage recycling and composting for all their guests. And they live it as well. When I spoke to Lisa about their commitment
A closer look at part of Doug’s extensive renovation process.
Tidewater employees pose beside a company truck.
The finished product!
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