Petrolia was originally called Petrolea but its name was changed due to a clerical error. Both its original and current names reflect the discovery of oil in the area. Oil was discovered in 1861 although it was not until 1866 that it was developed. That same year it was incorporated as a village.

Petrolia Discovery is a centre to learn, experience and enjoy the stories of Canadian ingenuity, talent and the pioneering spirit of Lambton County and its people – Canadians who influenced the global oil industry.

Petrolia Discovery Visitors to the Petrolia Discovery experience a fascinating, one-of-a-kind glimpse into the early days of the world’s oil boom. From the first, hand-dug wells of the 1850s, to the great refineries and machine shops which abounded at the turn of the century, Petrolia’s Oil Heritage runs old and deep as the wells themselves.