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First oil well is drilled, Pennsylvania
On August 28 1859, George Bissell and Edwin L. Drake made the first successful attempt of using a drilling rig on a well drilled only to produce oil, at a site on Oil Creek near Titusville, Pennsylvania. -
Transcontinental railroad is completed
At Promontory Summit, Utah, the Central Pacific Railroad and the Union Pacific Railroad connected on May 10, 1869 after 1,776 miles of track had been laid over six years. -
John D. Rockefeller founds Standard Oil
In 1870, John D. Rockefeller formed the Standard Oil Company of Ohio, along with his younger brother William, Henry Flagler and a group of other men. -
Alexander Graham Bell patents telephone
On March 7, 1876, Alexander Graham Bell received a patent for the telephone. Three days later Bell and his associate Thomas Watson successfully tested their invention. -
First telephone on White House
In 1877, President Rutherford B. Hayes has the White House’s first telephone installed in the mansion's telegraph room. President Hayes embraced the new technology, though he rarely received phone calls. -
Edison Perfects Incandescent Light Bulb
On October 21 1879, Thomas Edison perfects the first commercially practical incandescent light bulb. Using a filament of carbonized cotton thread, his first attempt at this design results in a bulb that lasts about 13.5 hours before burning out. He later extends the life of the bulb to 40 hours. -
Railroads Set Up Standard Time Zones
Operators of the new railroad lines needed a new time plan that would offer a uniform train schedule for departures and arrivals. Four standard time zones were created for the Continental United States. -
First Electric Trolley line in Richmond, VA
The first practical electric trolley (tram) system, and set the pattern for most subsequent electric trolley systems around the world. -
Sherman Antitrust Act is Passed
The Sherman Antitrust Act of 1890 was the first measure passed by the U.S. Congress to prohibit trusts. -
Carnegie Steel Company is formed
Carnegie Steel Company was formed in 1892 by Andrew Carnegie. -
J.P. Morgan forms U.S. Steel
J.P. Morgan began to control nation’s RRs, and merged RR and Steel industry into one large company. It was the first American company worth more that 1 Billion dollars.
