Primarily Petroliana Shop Talk Forums Shop Talk Petroliana Forums General Petroliana Discussion 25 Year Primarily Petroliana Web Site Anniversary

Twenty five years ago in February 1996, I started this Web site as a page of links to the few petroliana interest sites on the Internet at the time. Soon, a guestbook was started, enabling users to post messages. Since it was hosted on my Internet provider's "home page" server, there were not a lot of features that I could offer back then. In December 1997, the domain name Oldgas.com was registered and Primarily Petroliana was moved to its own server. A discussion forum software script was installed. It took off right away with lots of posts of questions and things for sale. In a while we realized that its popularity was overwhelming that simple forum software. In the year 2000, we took the leap to an early version of the software we have now. There have been a few problems along the way, but I'm proud to have been able to deflect spammers, trackers and hackers from taking advantage as well as minimizing vulgar language and political conflicts. It's great to hear of friendships made and long-sought collector items found. And I'm grateful that enough advertising and other funding has been able to pay the bills every month.

The Internet Archive Wayback Machine has a bunch of copies of what Oldgas.com has looked like over the years. Here is a link to a partly working remote copy of our site on December 12, 1998:
https://web.archive.org/web/19981212020147/http://oldgas.com/

A heartfelt thanks to those of you who have been along for the ride for a long time. You've made a dream idea come true. And welcome to those who more recently joined. This site is not about me, it is your online community.

1998 Oldgas.com

Congratulations on the anniversary and thank you for a site that I have used to get lots of tips and sources as well as meet other members. I enjoy it!

Thanks Jim for a " Clean " site we can call home, and Happy Anniversary

Thank you Jim for starting this great site.. It has enabled me to meet great new friends . Again "Thank you OldGas"

Wow time does fly. Thank you Jim for starting this site, it could never be imitated or bested. Originally told of it by 5quart, I was a "lurker" before joining. And very glad I did, as it is true that friendships have been made here. And I think of those from here we have lost too from the oldgas "family" over the years. Lots of memories.
Thanks Jim and congratulations!!

Congrats Jim to an incredible feat creating and maintaining this wonderful safe haven for us. I too was a lurker for sometime and because I enjoyed being here so much joined some years later, one of the few good decisions I’ve done. Thank you Jim.

Congratulations Jim! This site inspired me to collect what I like to collect most, (Pumps) !! I started collecting in 1994 and joined this site in 1999 ! The sites says 2002 for me joining but that’s after a reset . What a great adventure this has been. I made many new friends here including Dick Bennett who lived only a few miles from my home! I have learned so
much from the forums over the years! I remember meeting you at Iowa Gas in 2001. Good times and memories!

Thanks for everything,
Rob

Jim, you've created a site thats useful in a lot of ways

like a home away from home with no drama, a good

learning opportunity were all members help each other -

many thanks & HAPPY ANNIVERSARY -

you've made oldgas land what it is .. ...

This is a great site. I first came across oldgas in 2000 and lurked for awhile. I started collecting in 1995 a would have been nice if I found oldgas in the beginning.

Its been a great experience for me. I've meet or communicated with collectors all across the continent and even some in Europe. My education would have been much slower and more expensive without the likes of DB and many other willing OGers. People come and go but the community maintains its strengths including the ability to trust a fellow old gasser.
Jim thanks for providing a forum where we can share ideas, items and collecting philosophy (but not religion and politics)! Happy 25th🎂 and more to come.

Congratulations seems such an understatement. This site is priceless to the Oil and Gas community!! I've met many a friend through it and the information and knowledge base again, is priceless!!! I thank you all!!!

Congrats Jim ! Thank you for all of your efforts hosting the site.

Congrats on the quarter century mark. This site has helped me tremendously over the years. I don't post as much, but I check in every couple of days. Thanks for all you've done for the hobby Jim!

Congratulations Jim on the 25th anniversary of this wonderful site. I know I would be lost if I wasn't able to check in multiple times a day, lol. It's my routine throughout the day at work to check in and see what's going on when I have a break. As with many others, I've had many true friendships materialize through this site....guys I've never met and may never meet, but we talk or text regularly. I guess I'm "old fashioned" in the fact that I'm younger and not on Facebook but that's fine, Old Gas has always offered all I need when it comes to gaining knowledge and getting help when I've needed it, and I truly appreciate all those that have taken the time to reply. Things have changed over the years, yes...but nothing stays the same forever. I've been saddened when members have passed away, people that I had never met in person, but still considered friends. Here's to another 25 years Jim!
Darin

Congratulations on celebrating 25 years of the Old Gas web site. It is the first web site I joined and has given me many hours of pleasurer connecting with so many great people with the same interests as I have. There is no doubt that I would not have the collection that I have nor the many friendships that go with the hobby without Old Gas. Looking forward to the next 25 years.