The West Kern Oil Museum grew from efforts in 1974 by the local American Association of University Women and several dedicated people, who persuaded Jameson Oil Company to donate the Jameson # 17 wooden oil derrick and three acres of land after the derrick had been scheduled for demolition. Drilled in 1917 and producing until the 1980’s, Jameson # 17 was the last standing wooden derrick in California, outlasting more than 7000 wooden derricks that once covered the Midway-Sunset Field. Safety concerns forced the original derrick to be torn down in 2003, but because the original plans survived, an exact replica was raised over the original well in 2005. The site has grown to 8 acres and preserves the story of oil companies, everyday life in early oilfields and camps, and oil in California, particularly in West Kern County, through artifacts, books, and equipment, with all work carried out by volunteers.