Drilling for North Fork oil in 1948

Drilling for oil was expected to resume in the North Fork was front-page story in the Hungry Horse News in 1948. Border Oil Co. and Kootenay Oil Co. both had crews in the North Fork.

A. J. Knutson, president of Border Oil, had been after oil in the North Fork since 1921. Their current well was located six miles north of the Canadian border. It was down 1,800 feet with oil and gas showings when drilling was halted in October 1947 with coming of snow.

C.W. Wallingford, Kootenay Oil president, was expected in the area from Portland. Their well, also just north of the border, was down 3,600 feet.

It was reported national oil shortage was becoming more acute, and major oil companies were interested in these wells in the Rocky Mountain trench just west of Glacier National Park and 50 miles from Canada’s Pincher Creek field.

Flathead’s oil wells were isolated from the rest of Canada by the primitive, uninhabited Fernie district of British Columbia.

Border’s crew members were Lou Goodrum, Los Angeles, chief driller; Fred E. Nauman, Venice, Calif., driller; Robert and Eugene Nauman, Venice. driller helpers; Fred Olson, Yakima, tool dresser; C.H. “Slim” Thompson, Columbia Falls, engineer; Tom Gorrie, Roosville, B.C., cook.

It was Jan. 7, 1892, when first mention of oil in the North Fork was recorded in Columbia Falls. Town’s first newspaper, “The Columbian,” ran the story. First drilling took place at an oil seepage spot before 1910. Oil was definitely known to exist, but it had not been determined if it was of commercial quantities. Formations were similar to the Sunburst, Cut Bank, Kevin and Pincher producing fields.

Gladys Shay is a longtime resident and columnist for the Hungry Horse News.