10:59On February 19, 1920, oil was discovered in Cat Creek, Montana, by Frank Frantz, a former governor of Oklahoma Territory. The discovery was made near the Mosby Dome, and Frantz's announcement of the find quickly drew attention to the area, marking the beginning of Montana's first oil boom.
While oil exploration had also started in the nearby Devil's Basin around the same time, it was Frantz's successful discovery in Cat Creek that led to immediate progress. By 1923, two small refineries were constructed specifically for the Cat Creek crude, and by July 1926, the area had 190 active wells, fully fueling the oil boom in central Montana.
