The oil history of Oil Springs is making headlines at Western University in London.

A number of students taking their masters in public history recently visited Oil Springs, touring Fairbank Oil Properties and the Oil Museum of Canada, including the oldest oil fields in North America.

Charles Fairbank gave the group a firsthand look at the jerker line system developed by his great-grandfather John Henry Fairbank, which has been used in Oil Springs since the fields were developed.

The students also took in the exhibits at the Oil Heritage Museum including a multimedia exhibit showcasing the stories of the foreign drillers who opened oil fields around the world.

The visit was outlined on the university’s website.

Oil Museum supervisor Connie Bell says the museum Fairbank Oil have a long history with Western through the a fellowship program. “The students’ research and expertise in the fellowships has been invaluable.”