Cities expanded outward, not skyward, held back by the physical strain of climbing stairs and the challenge of lifting heavy materials.

But by the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a combination of fossil fuels and engineering innovation began to change that.

Oil and natural gas powered the machines and systems that made skyscrapers possible.

One of the earliest breakthroughs came with the development of the safety elevator by Elisha Otis in the 1850s.

While his invention predated widespread oil use, without it, tall buildings would have remained largely impractical.

Few people were willing to climb more than a handful of flights of stairs each day.

Engineering the 鈥榲ertical city鈥�

As elevators improved, engineers turned to the challenge of constructing buildings that could rise dozens of stories without collapsing under their own weight.

The answer came in the form of steel-frame construction.

Producing steel at this scale required for skyscrapers depended on energy-intensive processes, which were initially powered by coal and later supplemented by oil and natural gas in the 20th century.

By the time cities like Chicago and New York began racing to build taller structures, energy was embedded in every stage of construction.

Oil-powered machinery played a critical role on job sites.

Cranes, excavators and hoists 鈥� many running on diesel 鈥� allowed workers to lift steel beams and other materials high into the air.

These machines dramatically reduced construction time and labor demands.

What once took years could now be completed in a fraction of the time.

As cities expanded and demand for office and residential space surged, the ability to mass-produce materials became essential.

From construction feat to energy-driven icon

The rise of skyscrapers in the early 20th century coincided with America鈥檚 emergence as an industrial powerhouse on the global stage.

Iconic buildings like the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building were not just architectural achievements.

They were energy achievements.

Their construction required vast amounts of fuel, from extracting raw materials to transporting them and powering construction equipment.

Energy鈥檚 role didn鈥檛 end once the buildings were completed either.

Maintaining a skyscraper requires continuous power 鈥� for elevators, lighting, heating and cooling systems that keep people comfortable year-round.

Oil and natural gas met those demands for decades, especially before the widespread adoption of alternative and renewable energy sources.

In many ways, these buildings became vertical ecosystems, dependent on a constant flow of energy to function properly.

Historians often point to the skyscraper as a defining feature of modern city life, but its origins cannot be separated from the story of energy.

Without reliable and abundant fuel, the technologies that allow tall buildings to exist would likely not have advanced as quickly.

The American skyline, from Manhattan to Chicago, stands as a testament to what energy made possible.

Steel and glass may define these structures, but it was oil and natural gas that powered their rise, turning the dream of vertical cities into reality and reshaping how people live and work.

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But over time, a quiet transformation began to take shape inside labs and industrial plants across the United States.

Chemists and engineers started to realize that crude oil could be more than a source of heat or motion.

It could be broken down, reassembled and transformed into entirely new materials.

That realization would reshape American industry and daily life.

A major breakthrough came in 1907, when Belgian-American chemist Leo Baekeland developed Bakelite, widely considered the first fully synthetic plastic.

At a time when natural materials like wood, metal and rubber dominated manufacturing, Bakelite offered something completely different.

What followed was a wave of innovation.

The birth of synthetic plastic

Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, American companies expanded their research into petrochemicals, which were compounds derived from oil and natural gas.

Those efforts accelerated during World War II, when shortages of natural materials forced industries to find alternatives.

By the end of the war, the U.S. had built a robust petrochemical infrastructure. And instead of scaling it back, manufacturers turned their attention to consumer markets.

The postwar boom of the 1950s and 1960s marked the true arrival of plastics in everyday American life.

What made plastics so revolutionary was not just their versatility, but their cost.

Petroleum-based materials could be mass-produced quickly and cheaply, helping fuel a culture of convenience.

Products that were once expensive or scarce became widely accessible.

Plastics in everyday life

By the late 20th century, plastics were everywhere.

They were in medical devices, such as disposable syringes and IV bags.

They were in automobiles, helping reduce weight and improve fuel efficiency.

They were in electronics, insulating wires and forming the casings of computers and, eventually, smartphones.

Even industries that seemed far removed from oil became deeply dependent on it.

Agriculture relied on plastic irrigation systems and packaging.

Construction used plastic piping, insulation and coatings.

The health care sector depended on specialized polymers for everything from prosthetics to life-saving equipment.

Petroleum had quietly become the backbone of modern materials.

Industries and researchers began exploring new ways to manage plastic waste, including systems designed to keep materials in use rather than discard them.

Some newer approaches aim to create a more circular life cycle where plastics can be broken down and returned to their original raw form or feedstock and then used again to make new products.

Instead of a one-way path from oil to product to trash, the goal is a loop.

Oil becomes a product, that product is recycled back into its basic building blocks and those materials are used again.

The rise of plastics represents one of the most significant and least visible chapters in the history of American energy.

What began as an effort to refine oil for fuel ultimately expanded into something far broader.

Oil was not just something to burn, but something to build with.

Petroleum moved beyond the gas tank, embedding itself in nearly every corner of modern life.

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But as the war unfolded across Europe and beyond, it became clear that oil was far more significant.

It was not just fuel for industry. It was fuel for warfare.

The conflict marked a turning point, transforming oil into a resource that was essential for national security.

Warfare driven by tanks, airplanes and trucks depended on steady petroleum supplies.

Armies that could secure and sustain access to oil gained a notable advantage on the battlefield.

From commodity to combat power

At the outset, many military leaders still relied on traditional methods. Horses were widely used for transportation, and railroads remained the backbone of logistics.

As the war progressed, new technologies began to reshape combat.

The introduction of the tank, which was first deployed by United Kingdom forces during the Battle of the Somme in 1916, signaled a new era.

The armored vehicles required large amounts of fuel and they offered mobility and protection.

At the same time, aircraft were emerging as critical tools.

Early planes, powered by internal combustion engines, relied entirely on refined petroleum. Control of the skies quickly became as important as control of the ground.

Naval warfare was undergoing a similar transformation. In the years leading up to the war, leaders like Winston Churchill pushed for the Royal Navy to convert from coal to oil-powered ships.

Oil-powered fleets were faster and more agile, requiring fewer personnel.

They also created new vulnerabilities.

Unlike coal, which was abundant within the British Empire, oil had to be sourced from specific regions, including the Middle East and the United States.

America鈥檚 oil advantage

Securing access to oil became a strategic priority.

The Allies, particularly the United States, benefited from vast reserves and a rapidly expanding refining industry.

American production helped sustain Allied operations, supplying fuel for vehicles, aircraft and naval vessels.

By the end of the conflict in 1918, the importance of oil was undeniable.

One often-cited statement attributed to Allied leaders was that victory had been achieved 鈥渙n a wave of oil.鈥�

The lessons of World War I would shape global strategy for decades. Nations began to view oil not just as an economic asset, but as a critical piece of national defense.

Governments took a more active role in securing supplies and building reserves.

Regions rich in oil gained new strategic importance and competition for access would define much of the 20th century.

World War I stands as the moment when oil鈥檚 role fundamentally changed.

What had once been a commercial product became a cornerstone of military power.

More than a century later, that still stands.

While energy technologies have evolved, the connection between fuel and national security remains a defining feature of global politics and it all traces back to the battlefields of World War I, where oil first proved it could help determine not just how wars were fought, but who would win them.

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In the early 19th century, people in northwestern Pennsylvania collected thick, dark oil that naturally seeped to the surface.

The substance, often skimmed from water or soaked up with cloth, became known as 鈥淪eneca Oil.鈥� The name reflected its association with Native American knowledge, particularly that of the Seneca Nation.

For generations, Indigenous communities had been aware of the oil seeps in that area.

鈥淧aleo-Indians knew where the seeps were in Pennsylvania, where it seeps naturally out of the ground,鈥� said Brian Black, professor of history and environmental studies at Penn State Altoona.

鈥淭hey would gather it with cloth,鈥� said Black. “They didn鈥檛 drill for it. It was just naturally coming out.鈥�

Others avoided those areas, believing it was pointless.

鈥淓uropean settlers knew not to go there, because the oil had seeped through the soil, so it was not good for agriculture,鈥� Black said.

But when the first settlers discovered that the oil might have some effect on the human body, interest grew.

By the early 1800s, Seneca Oil was being sold across the northeastern United States as a form of patent medicine.

鈥淭hey bottled it, and they began just marketing it,鈥� Black said.

Marketing crude as a cure-all

Advertisements claimed it could treat everything from joint stiffness to digestive issues.

Traveling salespersons often leaned on its Indigenous origins to make it sound more credible.

It was part of a broader culture of early American medicine, where regulation was minimal and remedies were often based on anecdotal evidence rather than scientific testing.

Facing limited access to trained doctors, consumers frequently turned to widely marketed cure-alls like Seneca Oil.

鈥淥il was well known,鈥� Black said. 鈥淲hat wasn鈥檛 known was what to do with it.鈥�

That would soon change.

In 1859, Edwin Drake drilled the first successful commercial oil well near Oil Creek, ushering in a new era.

What had once been gathered by hand in small amounts quickly became the focus of an industrial boom.

From medicine to fuel

Long before modern regulatory agencies existed, products like Seneca Oil were free to make broad health claims.

While some users may have experienced relief, little scientific evidence supported the advertised benefits.

By the late 19th century, as medical science advanced, those types of medicines started to become less popular.

Increased scrutiny, along with the rise of traditional pharmaceuticals, pushed products like Seneca Oil aside.

Today, visitors to the Oil Creek region in Pennsylvania can still find traces of that history.

Museums and historical sites tell the story of how once-overlooked natural seeps became the birthplace of America鈥檚 oil industry and how, for a time, that same substance was believed to heal.

It鈥檚 a reminder that the meaning of natural resources can shift over time, shaped by culture and perception.

In the case of Oil Creek, it all began with a simple sheen on the water, one that promised cures before it powered a nation.

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The process was inconsistent.

What began as trial and error in the mid-19th century would later evolve into one of the most dependable industrial systems in the world, laying the groundwork for modern transportation, manufacturing and daily life across the country.

In 1859, when Edwin Drake , entrepreneurs rushed in, eager to capitalize on the new discovery.

But crude oil in its raw form had limited use. The real value was in refining it and distilling it into products like kerosene, which was in high demand for lighting.

In early refineries, techniques varied widely from one facility to another, meaning the end product could differ dramatically in quality.

For example, a batch of kerosene from one refinery might burn cleanly and safely, while another could be smoky or even explosive.

It was a dangerous business.

Fires and explosions were common, and Americans couldn鈥檛 be sure the fuel they purchased would perform as expected.

Making fuel more reliable

The turning point came when the industry became more organized and refining grew more scientific, led in large part by figures like John D. Rockefeller and his company, Standard Oil.

Founded in 1870, Standard Oil set out to dominate the market and bring order to it.

Rockefeller and his team recognized that consistency was key to growth. They invested in improving refining techniques, hiring chemists and engineers to better understand the distillation process.

By carefully controlling temperatures and refining conditions, they were able to produce kerosene and other petroleum products with consistent quality.

Barrels were labeled, and distribution became more efficient.

Products were tested and graded, giving customers confidence that what they were buying would meet expectations.

This new system had far-reaching effects.

As kerosene became more reliable, it quickly replaced whale oil as the primary source of lighting fuel in American homes.

Later, as new products like gasoline emerged, consistency in refining became even more important.

The science of consistency

The early 20th century brought the rise of the automobile and a surge in demand for gasoline.

Companies needed to make sure that fuel would perform consistently in engines, regardless of where it was purchased.

The industry, and eventually the federal government, began establishing formal standards and specifications for fuel composition and performance.

Refineries adopted more advanced technologies to meet those benchmarks.

What had once been an unpredictable, unsafe process became a highly controlled industrial system capable of producing millions of gallons of dependable fuel every day.

This consistency made it possible for automobiles, airplanes and machinery to operate reliably on a massive scale.

Today, the refining process is governed by strict environmental and performance standards, and fuels are engineered to meet precise specifications.

But the roots of that reliability trace back to a time when every batch was a gamble, and to the innovators who realized that consistency was the key to unlocking oil鈥檚 full potential.

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Streets and public spaces were dark and difficult to navigate. Businesses closed early, travel became more dangerous and urban life largely paused until daylight returned.

The earliest streetlights primarily used manufactured gas derived from coal.

That began to change in the 19th century with the arrival of gas lighting.

Using natural gas, cities began installing streetlamps that illuminated roads, sidewalks and gathering places.

For the first time, large sections of a city could remain active well after sunset.

The glow of gas lamps transformed urban life, allowing people to work, travel and simply hang out later into the evening.

One of the earliest large-scale examples appeared in Baltimore, where gas streetlights were first introduced in 1817.

The system was built by the Gas Light Company of Baltimore, which led the way in developing gas infrastructure for public lighting in the United States.

The idea spread quickly.

By the mid-1800s, gas lighting systems had been installed in cities across the country, including New York, Philadelphia and Boston.

Tall iron lamp posts lined busy streets.

Workers known as 鈥渓amplighters鈥� made nightly rounds, using long poles to ignite each lamp by hand.

For rapidly growing cities, the impact was immediate.

Lighting the night

Gas streetlamps extended the usable hours of the day, allowing factories, shops and offices to remain open later into the evening.

Businesses benefited from the longer hours, while workers could travel home more safely along streets that were no longer completely dark.

The new lighting also helped fuel the growth of nightlife.

Restaurants, theaters and entertainment venues began attracting larger evening crowds as city centers became safer and easier to navigate after sunset.

Public squares and promenades that had once emptied out at night became lively gathering places.

Gas lighting also played an important role in public safety.

Brighter streets made it easier for pedestrians to see obstacles and for authorities to monitor busy areas.

While crime certainly did not disappear, illuminated streets were widely viewed as a deterrent and helped cities feel less threatening after dark.

How did it work?

Installing gas lighting required an entirely new kind of infrastructure.

Gas companies built networks of underground pipes that carried fuel from plants to thousands of individual lamps across a city.

Those same systems were later used to supply gas to homes and businesses, where it powered indoor lighting and cooking.

In many places, gas lighting represented one of the first large-scale urban utility networks, similar to the electric grids and modern energy systems that would follow.

After the development of electric bulbs by inventors such as Thomas Edison, cities gradually started replacing gas streetlights with electric ones.

Even so, the influence of gas lighting on American urban life was lasting.

For decades, the glow of gas lamps defined city streets, making it possible for communities to function after dark in ways that had never been possible before.

Gas lighting reshaped the rhythm of American life, helping transform cities from places that shut down at sunset into vibrant centers of activity that could continue well into the night.

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Transporting energy resources over long distances was difficult and expensive.

“In the beginning, you often had to go to the source of the energy,” said Bernie Carlson, a historian of technology and professor emeritus of humanities at the University of Virginia. “A lot of industrial activities were very decentralized.”

Oil could be loaded into barrels and shipped by wagon, rail or boat.

Natural gas came with its own set of challenges.

It was difficult to store and even harder to transport without losing pressure, which meant it was typically burned or used near the well where it was produced.

Those limitations kept energy markets small and local.

The development of pipelines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries eventually changed that.

Pipeline development takes shape

The first significant oil pipelines began appearing in the 1860s and 1870s.

Instead of moving oil in containers, companies began building long metal pipes to carry petroleum directly from wells to refineries and shipping hubs.

Pumps pushed the oil through the lines.

“It became highly desirable to get the energy from remote locations,” Carlson said. “The question was, how are you going to get the oil from oil fields to where it was going to be refined, or to the big cities such as New York, Philadelphia or Boston.”

One of the most influential figures in the industry was John D. Rockefeller, whose company Standard Oil invested heavily in pipeline infrastructure. By the late 1800s, Standard Oil had built an extensive network that helped the company dominate the American oil industry.

“The Rockefellers basically said, ‘I don’t want to have to worry about the railroads, I want to move the oil all by myself and I want to control the movement of the oil,'” Carlson explained.

Natural gas followed a similar path.

By the early 20th century, engineers had developed stronger steel pipes and improved compressors, allowing gas to move long distances without losing pressure.

One of the earliest major gas pipelines was completed in the 1890s, carrying gas from fields in Indiana to industrial users in Chicago.

Hidden in plain sight

As the technology improved, pipeline networks expanded rapidly.

By the 1920s and 1930s, long-distance pipelines were linking oil fields in Texas and Oklahoma to refineries and cities across the Midwest and East Coast.

The expansion accelerated after World War II, when energy demand surged and the United States invested heavily in infrastructure.

Today, the United States operates one of the largest pipeline networks in the world, with hundreds of thousands of miles of lines moving oil, gasoline, diesel, and natural gas across the country each day.

By solving the challenge of transportation, pipelines helped turn oil and gas into the backbone of the modern U.S. energy system, allowing energy to flow across an entire continent.

“It wasn’t a revolution, it was an evolution and a much more incremental process,” said Carlson. “This is the hidden infrastructure of American energy.”

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It powers our cars, and gas stations can be found around just about every corner. But there was a time when gasoline was something no one even wanted.

For much of the 19th century, it was an afterthought.

鈥淕asoline was not something that had much of a use for people until the internal combustion engine came along,鈥� said Chris Wells, professor and chair of environmental studies at Macalester College. 鈥淚t was a flammable byproduct of the refining process.鈥�

Refiners who were drilling and processing crude oil had been focused on producing kerosene, the clean-burning fuel that lit America鈥檚 lamps and extended the day long after sunset.

What remained 鈥� a volatile, flammable liquid known as gasoline 鈥� was often thrown away.

Few could have predicted that this unwanted substance would become the fuel that reshaped American life.

Gasoline finds its power

Things began to change in the late 1800s as inventors experimented with internal combustion engines and discovered gasoline鈥檚 advantages.

It vaporized easily and ignited quickly, making it ideal for small, powerful engines.

Unlike steam power, which required bulky boilers and a constant supply of water, gasoline engines were compact and well-suited for personal transportation.

鈥淭here was a fairly intense competition between three different kinds of automobiles in the first five to seven years that automobiles were available commercially in the United States,鈥� said Wells.

Henry Ford鈥檚 introduction of the Ford Model T in 1908 was a milestone.

It helped transform the automobile from a luxury item into a consumer product.

鈥淭he Ford Model T was absolutely instrumental in helping launch automobile ownership as a widespread phenomenon,鈥� explained Wells. 鈥淚t was the spread of automobiles as a widespread phenomenon that helped explain why gasoline suddenly became really important as a product.鈥�

The rise of gasoline reshaped the nation鈥檚 physical landscape.

Roads expanded beyond cities, linking rural areas to urban centers.

Highways emerged, followed by motels and diners.

Suburbs grew as commuting by car became easier, changing the patterns of work and daily life.

Americans take to the roads

A lot of the early owners of automobiles were relatively wealthy, and when they went driving, they didn’t want to drive in traffic downtown.

They wanted to get out of the city and explore the countryside.

鈥淥ne of the reasons why the Model T turned out to be so important was that it allowed people to drive around in places where there weren’t yet great roads,鈥� said Wells. 鈥淲hat Ford was able to do was to build a machine that was, compared to its competitors, lightweight and capable in handling bad roads.鈥�

The automobile 鈥� and gasoline with it 鈥� made distance less of an obstacle.

Delivery trucks replaced horse-drawn wagons.

Businesses could serve more people, and employees could live farther from their jobs.

By the mid-1900s, the transformation was complete.

A once discarded liquid had found its calling 鈥� and in doing so, helped drive the United States into the modern age.

鈥淭he automobile really allowed people to do things that simply hadn’t been possible before, and that was enormously exciting,鈥� said Wells.

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Horses pulled streetcars through growing cities. Mules hauled freight across farms and construction sites. Oxen dragged plows and wagons, providing the muscle that supported farmers and built the nation鈥檚 early infrastructure. Animal power was essential and dependable.

But the entire system began to change as petroleum-based fuels entered American life, replacing muscle with machines.

It was a shift that transformed transportation, farming and industry across the young country.

The constraints of 鈥榤uscle power鈥�

While animals set the pace of the economy for much of the 19th century, there were clear limitations.

Horses could work only so many hours a day, and they required constant feeding and care.

Urban areas had to deal with manure-filled streets and the incredible challenge of keeping tens of thousands of animals alive, healthy and productive.

In rural America, farmers relied on animals that couldn鈥檛 always work in bad weather 鈥� or when age and illness caught up with them.

But petroleum solved many of those problems.

The rise of refined fuels such as kerosene and gasoline 鈥� along with petroleum-based lubricants that reduced friction and wear 鈥� allowed machines to run longer and more reliably than animals ever could.

Engines didn鈥檛 get tired. They didn鈥檛 need rest, and they could operate wherever fuel could be delivered.

Reinventing travel and work

The transformation was the most visible in transportation.

In the late 1800s, American cities began phasing out horse-drawn streetcars in favor of vehicles powered by electric motors and internal combustion engines.

Petroleum-based fuels would later dominate travel, especially across longer distances. Gasoline-powered cars, trucks and buses shattered the limits of animal speed and strength.

Vehicles could travel farther in a day than animals could in a week, and the consequences of that stretched far beyond convenience.

More efficient transportation meant goods could be moved faster between farms, factories and markets. Perishable food reached cities sooner. Supply chains stretched farther.

On farms, oil-driven machines transformed agriculture in a profound way.

Tractors powered by gasoline and later diesel replaced teams of horses and mules, allowing farmers to do more work with fewer people and fewer animals.

Machines could harvest faster and operate longer into the day than animal labor ever allowed, while petroleum-based lubricants kept engines running smoothly.

American farming was fundamentally reshaped. Small operations expanded. Large farms became more efficient.

By the early 20th century, the transition was largely complete.

Horses remained on some farms and were still used for various tasks like hauling wagons and working in remote areas, but the engine had become the dominant source of power.

Petroleum fuels enabled machines to outperform animals in strength and efficiency, altering how Americans moved and worked.

What began as a solution to the limits of animal labor became a shift in American history.

Oil did not simply replace horses, mules and oxen 鈥� it redefined power itself, propelling the nation into a new era driven not just by muscle, but by fuel and machines.

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Recovery often depended entirely on how quickly utility crews could repair damaged lines and restore service. There were few options for temporary replacements.

That began to change in the decades following World War II, as fuel-powered generators made disaster response more flexible and less dependent on the electric grid.

鈥淚t allowed people to stay in their home and not overburden shelters during limited shelter capacity situations,鈥� explained Tim Frazier, professor and faculty director of the Emergency and Disaster Management Program at Georgetown University.

Advances during the war

World War II proved to be a turning point, as the U.S. military relied on mobile generators to power field hospitals and communications outposts in remote areas.

The equipment was designed to be transported by truck and deployed quickly, even in harsh conditions.

After the war, manufacturers adapted that same technology for civilian use, and gasoline-powered generators became more compact and affordable.

The generators gave Americans a new sense of control.

鈥淲e had a lot of people coming back from World War II with some level of experience in understanding what it means to be prepared and being able to function on your own or care for yourself,鈥� said Frazier. 鈥淭hat mentality that’s always been a bit of the American spirit was more forcefully ingrained.鈥�

Hospitals were among the first places to adopt backup generators as standard equipment.

By the 1950s and 1960s, many medical facilities had on-site generators capable of keeping life-support systems and lighting running during extended outages.

鈥淔or a segment of the population that has medical needs, having a backup generator can be the difference between living or dying,鈥� Frazier said.

A lifeline during disasters

The value of portable power became even clearer later in the 20th century.

Hurricanes along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts, earthquakes in California and ice storms in the Midwest repeatedly knocked out power for days or weeks at a time.

Mobile generators could be brought into affected areas to power shelters and emergency operations centers, while smaller generators became more common in homes and businesses, especially in regions routinely battered by severe weather.

For businesses, generators meant the difference between closing for days and reopening quickly.

For homeowners, they offered a way to maintain a basic sense of normalcy during outages.

鈥淚t kept food from perishing, so people could actually stay in their home and ride it out,鈥� Frazier said.

Major disasters in the 21st century 鈥� from Hurricane Katrina to Superstorm Sandy to massive wildfires out West 鈥� put into focus just how essential mobile generators had become.

People saw firsthand what happens when the grid goes down for an extended period of time, but generators changed the equation. Power was no longer something that had to remain fixed in one place.

That shift did more than keep lights on.

It changed what people expect after a disaster 鈥� how quickly help arrives and how fast a community can get back on its feet.

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They encountered it outside, glowing in streetlamps or fueling furnaces in factories. It was largely seen as for industrial use.

Now, natural gas is built into everyday life: heating houses, cooking meals and providing us hot water.

That shift from a public fuel source to something people use daily in their personal lives didn’t happen overnight. It unfolded over decades of innovation which gradually brought gas indoors.

Baltimore sets the stage

When natural gas first started showing up in American cities in the early 1800s, it was all about streetlights.

On June 17, 1816, the Gas Light Company of Baltimore became the nation鈥檚 first natural gas company.

Not long after the company’s founding, a gas lamp was lit at the corner of Holliday and Baltimore streets near the Inner Harbor, a spot that still marks that moment in the city鈥檚 history.

At the time, Baltimore was the third largest city in the country. New York and Philadelphia were among the other major cities that also adopted gas lighting.

Brighter streets meant people could stay out later. Businesses could stay open longer, and city life no longer came to a halt when the sun went down.

Inside the home, most Americans were relying on wood and coal for heat. Cast-iron stoves and fireplaces kept rooms warm, and cooking meant open flames with smoke and ash.

It was a messy and sometimes dangerous combination, but gas appliances were costly and still untested on a large scale.

Things began to change as gas pipeline networks expanded in the late 1800s and early 1900s, making it possible to move natural gas over longer distances.

Homes begin to change

Gas stoves began showing up in middle-class kitchens around the turn of the 20th century.

They offered immediate heat and better temperature control, and it wasn’t hard to notice the difference in convenience and cleanliness.

Gas water heaters followed, allowing for hot water without needing to light a fire first.

Home heating was a tougher sell, though. Coal furnaces were deeply ingrained in American life, and people worried about gas leaks and explosions.

Attitudes about that shifted as safety standards improved and thermostats made gas furnaces easier to control, and by the 1920s and 1930s, gas heat was becoming commonplace.

Then World War II sped everything up.

Investments in pipelines connected Texas, with its booming oil and gas industries, and the Southwest to the Midwest and the East Coast.

After the war, those same lines helped fuel a housing boom as millions moved into new suburbs.

Entire subdivisions were built around gas service, with central heating, gas ranges and water heaters sold as symbols of modern American living and independence.

By the 1950s, natural gas was a dominant fuel in many homes.

What started as a way to light streets and power factories had officially moved indoors.

The聽transition to natural gas was not just a technological shift but a cultural one, redefining what Americans expected from their living spaces and the energy that powered them.

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The widespread use of kerosene, a petroleum-based fuel, was more than just a convenience.

It marked a transformation that reshaped daily life in the 19th century.

Derived from crude oil, kerosene offered a brighter and more efficient alternative to fuels Americans had traditionally depended on, including whale oil and tallow candles that were made from rendered animal fat.

Whale oil was expensive and increasingly difficult to obtain. Tallow candles burned dimly and filled rooms with smoke and soot, giving off a strong and unpleasant smell.

How kerosene gained traction

The big breakthrough came in the 1840s, when Canadian geologist Abraham Gesner developed a method to distill a clear, flammable liquid from coal, bitumen and oil shale, which he marketed as 鈥渒erosene.鈥�

The fuel produced a clean and bright light, and it quickly drew attention.

Gesner鈥檚 invention had far-reaching and long-lasting economic effects, beginning with a decline in demand for whale oil, which came from whale blubber.

As kerosene spread, the whaling industry declined, which helped to protect whale populations.

Kerosene emerged as a more affordable and reliable option, one that could be produced in large quantities and used in lamps that were already found in American homes.

Gesner鈥檚 work laid the foundation for the modern petroleum industry, attracting entrepreneurs who were excited to produce and distribute the new fuel.

Oil tycoon John D. Rockefeller, who would later establish Standard Oil, was among those who made their first fortunes by building kerosene distilleries.

By the 1850s, petroleum was being refined into kerosene on a large scale. For Americans, the timing could not have been better.

The benefits of illumination

The U.S. was entering a period of rapid growth and expansion, and families across the nation were eager to find a better option for lighting their lives.

Kerosene lamps quickly found their way into homes, schools and businesses.

Many small towns and rural communities gained access to dependable lighting for the first time.

Unlike candles or whale oil lamps, kerosene lamps could brighten larger spaces and burn for hours with a single filling.

That steady light allowed Americans to extend their workdays and have free time well into the evening, changing lives and routines. Families could gather together long after the sun went down.

Americans settled into a new rhythm.

Demand for kerosene fueled expansion in the petroleum industry, reflecting a shift in the way Americans used resources, as petroleum became more central to daily life.

The arrival of electric lighting in the 1880s and 1890s eventually began to take the place of kerosene in urban areas, but many rural households continued relying on kerosene well into the 20th century.

Kerosene鈥檚 dominance in American homes was not just about illumination. It represented a shift in technology and daily life, changing the social patterns of the nation.

The glow of kerosene lamps in many ways was America鈥檚 first taste of the convenience that electricity would later bring to everyone.

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While early aircraft could lift off the ground, they were fragile and limited in how far they could go.

Flying only became reliable and accessible after advances in aviation fuel and engine technology made long-distance flight possible.

Without those energy breakthroughs, flying would likely have stayed a risky hobby for daredevils and inventors instead of becoming part of everyday life.

Early flight relied on familiar fuels.

For example, when the Wright brothers took to the air in 1903, their aircraft ran on gasoline similar to what powered cars.

Those early engines were weak by modern standards and burned fuel inefficiently, which meant flights were short and unsafe.

Pilots had little margin for error, and mechanical failures happened frequently.

Branching out with new fuel

As aircraft designs improved, engineers quickly realized that standard gasoline posed serious problems.

It could ignite too easily, burned unevenly and struggled to deliver consistent power, especially as planes climbed higher into thinner air.

Pilots needed engines they could trust, and engines needed fuel that behaved in a predictable way.

The search for better fuel was on.

By the 1920s and 1930s, aviation gasoline, known as 鈥渁vgas,鈥� was developed specifically for airplanes.

It burned more smoothly and could handle higher power without damaging engines.

In simple terms, it allowed pilots to push planes harder and fly farther without the engine shaking itself apart and failing.

That single improvement unlocked longer flights and far more dependable planes.

Fuel quality was becoming just as important as wing design.

World War II accelerated everything.

Fighter planes and bombers needed maximum power and reliability, leading to the mass production of high-performance fuels that helped aircraft fly faster, climb quicker and operate in difficult conditions.

Advances made during the war later carried over into the lives of civilians.

Jet fuel changes the game

The true turning point came in the mid-20th century with the arrival of jet engines.

Jets changed what flying meant, allowing planes to move faster, fly higher above the weather and carry many more people at once.

That efficiency reshaped the business of air travel, but jet engines needed a different kind of fuel.

Kerosene-based jet fuels like 鈥淛et A鈥� and 鈥淛et A-1鈥� were designed to burn steadily and safely in turbine engines.

They packed a lot of energy and were relatively easy to store.

Planes such as the Boeing 707 鈥� and later the Boeing 747 鈥� used jet fuel to make long-distance travel faster than ever before.

Travel times dropped, costs came down and airlines expanded routes across oceans and continents.

Flying was no longer just a novelty or a luxury.

With dependable fuel available worldwide, airlines could run tight schedules and connect people across long distances.

By the late 20th century, air travel had become routine.

It was a normal part of work, vacations and family life.

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Authorized by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956 signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the system was meant to strengthen national defense, move goods more efficiently and make it easier for people to get around.

At the time, it was pitched as an infrastructure project. What followed was a transformation that touched nearly every corner of American life.

Built for cars and trucks, the interstate network accelerated the use of gasoline and helped redefine where Americans lived, worked and traveled.

Places that once felt distant suddenly seemed closer.

“On the people side of it, it was the idea of connecting the cities and regions together (in a better way),” said Daniel Sperling, professor and founding director of the Institute of Transportation Studies at the University of California, Davis.

On the freight side, the system helped move goods faster and more reliably across the country, reshaping supply chains.

“By the 1950s, trucks were playing a very big role in moving goods 鈥� and the interstate would be a much more efficient way of doing it,” Sperling said. “It replaced other roads that were not built to the same standard.”

Highways and a demand for gasoline grew side by side, each one fueling the growth of the other.

Driving for work, and driving for fun

As the interstate system spread, driving became easier and faster.

Driving for work and driving for fun became part of the same system.

In the years following World War II, the United States saw a sharp rise in car ownership. Federal investment in highways shortened travel times and encouraged people to live farther from where they worked. Longer commutes became possible and, over time, routine for millions of Americans.

“The result was a dramatic increase in car usage from that period starting in the 1950s going forward,鈥� Sperling said. 鈥淎s these interstates were built out across the country, the number of cars that came into circulation and the use of the cars, in terms of how much they traveled, just kept increasing at a very steep rate.鈥�

Freedom means mobility

Cars also became central to recreation. Road trips, weekend getaways and long-distance travel grew easier and more common.

The Interstate Highway System gave Americans a level of independence they had never experienced before.

With a car and a full tank of gas, people could decide when to leave, where to go and how long to stay.

The open road became a powerful symbol of personal freedom, and that freedom reshaped the nation. And highways made it all possible.

In that sense, the Interstate Highway System was not just a transportation project, but an energy system built into the landscape itself.

“It greatly eased the ability to travel,” Sperling said. “(The interstates) were free and they were fast, and so it stimulated much more travel than would ever have occurred otherwise.”

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Under the legislation, Fairfax County would need to get approval from voters on whether casino gaming should be allowed before moving forward on a proposal.

The bill has not yet made it to Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s desk as lawmakers in both chambers still need to address the differences in the versions of the bill that was passed.

Chairman of the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Jeff McKay told WTOP he would not hold a referendum posing the casino question to voters, should the legislation be signed into law as is.

“If the bill comes out in its current form, I will not support it going to referendum,” McKay told WTOP. “I am not going to subject my residents to vote on something that we know is a bad deal for them.”

McKay said his biggest issue with the bill is how it divvies up revenue. According to on a feasibility study, the casino would generate $42.2 million in tax revenue to the Commonwealth and $19.9 million to Fairfax County.

“This perpetuates a pattern in Richmond where the revenue share, the split of revenue, benefits the state,” McKay said. “This is a great deal for the state. They get 75% of the money. We get 25% of it, and all the problems associated with a casino.”

Some critics of the casino are concerned about its possible impacts on traffic and crime.

McKay said he also takes issue with restrictions the bill will impose on the county board of supervisors.

“It severely restricts the land use control of the county board of supervisors, and land use has always been a local government prerogative.” McKay said.

Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, who introduced, has said a casino and entertainment district would keep some revenue in Virginia, instead of losing it all to the nearby MGM National Harbor.

The plan, which passed in the House of Delegates and Senate, could allow a casino to be built anywhere in Fairfax County with the go-ahead from voters.

It’s the latest iteration of a casino proposal that’s been debated in the Virginia General Assembly for years, with lawmakers initially only discussing Tysons as a potential location.

Before the bill is sent to Spanberger, delegates and senators have to reach an agreement on its language, since the version each chamber passed is different.

In the bill’s current form, McKay said it gives the option for the board to chose whether to hold a referendum.

“The state could always change that,” McKay said. “They could always impose this upon us, and that’s something I’ve raised concerns about repeatedly with my colleagues and the public.”

It’s unclear whether Spanberger plans to sign the bill, but McKay said the governor has generally been against gambling activities.

“I would suspect that whether there’s a referendum requirement or not would be a major factor in what the governor does, because at a minimum, the local government should have the authority to decide whether or not a referendum should be held,” he said.

WTOP’s Scott Gelman contributed to this report.

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