California's First Oil Well

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Petrolia is a little community of about 300 people on the Mattole River roughly five miles from The Lost Coast. As it's name suggests it was once an oil town.  In fact it was the location of California's first well (1865).  Prior to that the area was inhabited by the Mattole Indians whose language is dead but whose descendants are still in the area.

Today Petrolia has a general store, fire department, post office, elementary school and a community center.

As it's name suggests it was once an oil town.