1914's 'Wonder Well' and the Birth of Alberta's Petroleum Culture

Join us to discover how the 1914 “Wonder Well” sparked Alberta’s first oil boom and shaped Calgary’s economy and petroleum culture.

This public talk, presented by Dr. Paul Chastko, Department Head of History at the University of Calgary, explores how the 1914 Dingman discovery—quickly dubbed the “Wonder Well”—sparked Alberta’s first oil boom and helped shape the province’s distinctive petroleum culture.

Through the dramatic story of promoter George Edward Buck, Dr. Chastko traces how hope, hardship, speculation, and community pride converged in Turner Valley, shaping attitudes and expectations that continue to influence Alberta’s relationship with energy today. Blending vivid historical storytelling with insights into early oil promotion, regulation, and public enthusiasm, the talk examines how a single well transformed Calgary’s economy, inspired thousands of small investors, and laid the foundations for Alberta’s modern oil identity.

It is a story of optimism, risk-taking, and resilience—and of how Alberta learned, sometimes painfully, to balance opportunity with oversight.