McKenzie Well

McKenzie Well
The McKenzie Well site with defunct equipment.
McKenzie Well is located in Colorado
McKenzie Well
Location within Colorado
McKenzie Well is located in the United States
McKenzie Well
Location within the United States
LocationNear Independence Rd. and CO 119, Boulder, Colorado
Coordinates40°2′36″N 105°14′27″W / 40.04333°N 105.24083°W / 40.04333; -105.24083
Area0.4 acres (0.16 ha)
Built1901 (1901)
NRHP reference No.04001553
CSRHP No.5BL.418
Added to NRHPJanuary 26, 2005

The McKenzie Well (also known as McKenzie #1) is an oil well site in Boulder, Colorado. The Boulder Oil Field was discovered on this site in 1901, making it the oldest oil-producing site in the entire Denver Basin, and one of the oldest in the western United States. The first producing well on the site was drilled in 1902. Peak production at 85,000 barrels was reached in 1909.

A modern well (built in the 1960s) sits on the site of the original discovery; nothing remains of the original machinery. The well was plugged in 2007.

The McKenzie Well site is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the Colorado State Register of Historic Properties.

References

  1. 1 2 "Colorado State Register of Historic Properties - list". History Colorado. Archived from the original on March 10, 2013. Retrieved March 16, 2013.
  2. ↑ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  3. ↑ Pettem, Silvia (July 7, 2017). "Boulder County History: A century ago, oil industry excited the locals". dailycamera.com. Retrieved April 7, 2019.
  4. ↑ https://denvergazette.com/news/business/stopping-oil-drilling-would-be-an-economic-catastrophe/article_15aefc28-e253-11ee-9520-a3b919c953b7.html
  5. ↑ "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form". npgallery.nps.gov. Retrieved April 7, 2019.

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