Extensive drilling occurred over a period of years in Happy Valley in order to locate oil. There were five more wells drilled in addition to the ones pictured here. Photos courtesy of Lafayette Historical Society.
Four workmen are to the left on the Edward Flood ranch in 1901. The man seated is Alexander Flood, and the woman is Evelyne Flood Baker, his sister.
By Laura Torkelson
It bubbled up from the ground. Edward and Anne Flood came from near Dublin, Ireland with his mother and eight children. They bought a farm in Happy Valley in 1889. Edward loved to take visitors to a section of his farm where oil seeped to the surface. He would light a match, and poof – quite a show. Once he got too close and singed his beard and eyelashes! The oil was said to be so pure that it could be used to light lamps.
In the early 1900’s, one of the Flood relatives thought that perhaps money could be made from the oil. He got investors, issued shares, drilled an oil well and made extensive plans for more. Unfortunately, no money was made on the one well. As a child, Genevieve Gallagher, born to the Flood family in 1918, remembers getting a pair of shoes with “oil money”. No fortune, and the venture was abandoned. (The Flood name might be familiar because their decedent, Nancy Flood, taught at Springhill for many years.)
Edward and Anne Flood
The oil was in the Los Arabis Drive area. That street, Timothy Lane, Rahara Drive, and Natasha Drive are all named for the Arabian horses that Dr. Leo Musser owned in the 1930s and 1940s. He reported that when it rained a lot, oily water covered his basement floor. Any Happy Valley residents still see oil? Let the Historical Society know. Come in and learn more amazing facts about Happy Valley.
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Speculators formed companies, issued stock and drilled.
Thanks so much for this, Laura! Where did you find the Berkeley Crude Oil stock certificate—and does this mean there was also exploratory drilling west of what is now the Caldicott? Btw, your readers might be interested to know that there is active drilling on Deer Valley Road outside of Antioch, and a proposal currently under review by the county to allow exploratory drilling for oil and gas on the western flank of Brentwood—several hundred feet from homes. The oil driller clearly wants to turn the clock back.
Delightful tidbit! Thank you.
Our pleasure! We love history about Contra Costa County and sharing it with our readers.
Awesome article, grew up off of Happy Valley RD and attended Vallecito grammar school quite near these wells apparently. How cool is that!