In 1859, Pennsylvania witnessed the birth of the first successful commercial oil well, marking a turning point in energy sources. This development promptly threatened the dominance of whale oil, especially in the realm of illumination. A political cartoon published in Vanity Fair just a week after the Civil War began in 1861 humorously portrays whales celebrating the discovery of oil and the potential decrease in demand for their own oil. This transition from whale oil to petroleum-based kerosene undoubtedly brought about numerous cultural and economic challenges. It is worth exploring the winners and losers of this energy shift and contemplating the significance of oil being developed in a northern state like Pennsylvania, considering the war’s impact on southern cotton-producing regions.
https://energyhistory.yale.edu/grand-ball-given-by-the-whales-vanity-fair-april-20-1861/