August 1st, 1872 – First Current Pipeline Distributed

The biggest gas distribution by pipeline started in August of 1872 when gas was transported from a well in Pennsylvania to a location nearly five miles away. The well produced 4 million cubic feet of gas every day, establishing itself as the biggest well in the area.

Leaders of the Titusville and the Cornerstone Gas and Water Organization created their pipeline with a sing mission in mind: to bring one of the most powerful wells on record to over 250 clients in Titusville.

Author David Waples stated that at this time, before it was introduced by George Westinghouse, the use of commercial gas was considered to be dangerous.

August 2nd, 1938 – Goodbye Hog Bristles, Hello Nylon Toothbrushes

The Weco Company made advancements on its toothbrush in 1938 when they created the first toothbrush to have synthetic nylon called the Miracle-Tuft. Scientific experts at DuPont created it only 36 months earlier. Upon the reveal, New York Times stated that Americans in the future would brush their teeth with nylon instead of hog bristles.

An advertisement in Life magazine promoted the nylon bristles. Previously, all toothbrushes were made with animal hair bristles. The Miracle-Tuft contained DuPont’s interesting new fiber called EXTON.

Weco Items sold their toothbrushes for 50 cents a piece and assured buyers that there would be no shedding. Within the next year, the company Johnson and Johnson came out with a nylon toothbrush. Previously, the Royal Society of Chemistry observed that the world relied on toothbrushes made with hog bristles.

August 2nd, 1956 – First Interstate in the United States Begins Construction

Missouri was one of the first states to get construction funding for an interstate. Construction was authorized 8 weeks earlier by the Federal-Aid Highway Act of 1956. On August 2nd, 1956, work officially began on Route 66.

The Highway-Aid Act provided all federal funding for a system of interstate highways. That made it possible for states to afford the construction of limited access highways. These highways stretched across more than 40,000 miles. Leaders said the interstate was the best development of transportation in the history of the U.S.

August 3rd, 1769 – Spanish Explorers Discover First Asphalt Pits

In 1769, La Brea pits were discovered during a Spanish expedition by Franciscan Friar. In his diary detailed the expedition, the explorer wondered whether the tar was causing so many earthquakes.

Someone else on the expedition, Juan Crespi coined the expression “bitumen” to describe these sticky pools throughout southern California. Petroleum had been leaking in the waterfront plain dregs for over 40,000 years, eventually Americans would utilize the substance to waterproof bins and canoes.

Even though they were called tar pits, the pools at Rancho La Brea were black-top, not tar. Tar comes from the refining of woody materials while the black-top in the pits is a shaped substance made from hydrocarbon particles.

August 3rd, 1942 – War Brings Oil Pipelines to the United States

War Crisis Pipelines, Inc., started developing the longest oil pipeline in America in 1942, beginning the construction on what would eventually be called it the “Big Inch line.”

The purpose of this line was to supply fuel requests from the war. It also served as an answer to U-boat’s assaulted oil tankers. Big Inch and Little Big Inch were named the greatest government to industry collaboration.

The plan was to deliver 300,000 BOPD, an ambitious  goal that spearheaded the development of the two pipelines. The Big Inch was first and it traveled from East Texas all the way to Illinois. The Little Big Inch, which stretched from New York to Philadelphia came next. The effort went on to cost $95 million dollars total. Currently, the Trans-Alaska pipeline spans across over 800 miles.