| Probably named for the oil springs at the location. "Although most of the oil of this region has been found in the Aspen formation, some comes from the Bear River formation, which immediately underlies the Aspen. The occurrence of oil in this region was known to James Bridger and other early trappers, but the first published account of it resulted from a visit made by the Mormon pioneers in 1847 to the natural oil spring, known as the Brigham Young oil well, 6 miles southwest of Spring Valley. Small quantities of oil were collected from this and other springs, and prospecting was carried on intermittently until 1900, when high-grade oil was struck in a well near Spring Valley. Since that time several pools have been found, but the yield is small, the best wells producing only a few barrels a day." (Guidebook of the Western United States) |
