Arctic Oil Works

Company History: The Arctic Oil Works was established on Illinois between 17th and 16th Streets in 1883 to produce refined oils from seals, whales and elephant seals. Not well-remembered today, the whale, along with elephant seals, walruses, and sea-lions, were the primary source of oil for illumination and lubrication for the burgeoning industrial revolution during the early decades of San Francisco’s urban growth. Electricity was still years away, and the petroleum oil industry didn’t really get going until the last decade of the 19th century.

Brief History: The U.S. is a country of 50 states covering a vast swath of North America, with Alaska in the northwest and Hawaii extending the nation’s presence into the Pacific Ocean. Major Atlantic Coast cities are New York, a global finance and culture center, and capital Washington, DC. Midwestern metropolis Chicago is known for influential architecture and on the west coast, Los Angeles' Hollywood is famed for filmmaking.