Dairy Farm to Oil Field

Gilmore Oil Company became the largest independent oil company on the West Coast.

Dairy Farm To Oil Field

We recently visited the state of California, USA on holiday. We ended up in LA then quite by chance came upon a Farmer’s Market in an area on 3rd and Fairfax.

In 1872 an Arthur Gilmore from Illinois came to seek his fortune in California and went into the dairy business. In 1880 he gained title to this very plot of land and whilst drilling for water for his cattle he discovered oil, establishing Gilmore Oil Company replacing his dairy herds with oil rigs!

1920 – 1943

Gilmore Oil Company became the largest independent oil company on the West Coast.

In 1943 Mobil Oil takes over oil production. Gilmore Oil continues to operation service stations until 1945.