Burning Springs Complex

Coordinates: 38°59′16″N 81°19′10″W / 38.98778°N 81.31944°W / 38.98778; -81.31944
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Burning Springs Complex
Burning Springs Complex is located in West Virginia
Burning Springs Complex
Burning Springs Complex is located in the United States
Burning Springs Complex
LocationAlong the N bank of the Kanawha River from the confluence of Burning Springs Run, Burning Springs, West Virginia
Coordinates38°59′16″N 81°19′10″W / 38.98778°N 81.31944°W / 38.98778; -81.31944
Area20 acres (8.1 ha)
Built1859
ArchitectRathbone Bros.; Et al.
NRHP reference No.71000884 [1]
Added to NRHPMay 6, 1971

Burning Springs Complex, also known as the Rathbone and Karns Wells, is a national historic district located at Burning Springs, Wirt County, West Virginia. It encompasses one contributing building and three contributing sites. It was historically viewed as the world's second great oil field, after the Drake Well in Pennsylvania. However, more recent scholarship including the PBS documentary Burning Springs shows it predates the Drake Well by a number of years. During the American Civil War, it was destroyed by General William E. Jones on May 9, 1863.[2]

It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ Clifford M. Lewis, S.J. (August 1970). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form: Burning Springs Complex" (PDF). State of West Virginia, West Virginia Division of Culture and History, Historic Preservation. Retrieved July 9, 2011.