At one time you could see a live show that used Real Nitoglycerin blowing things up.

 Up a long back road out of Titusville Pa. you will come across a rather strange sign .

Nitroglycerin Show 

Yes the stuff that goes bang

Well seeing the sign I of course had to go up road to see what was left but the old bridge is closed 

So I did some googling and yes this was a one time tourist attraction where real Nitroglycerin was used to educate the public.

Nitroglycerin was a big player in the development and continuing of production of petroleum Oil 

back in the early 1800s and well into 1900s 

Placed in a metal tube which looked like a torpedo it was dropped down into a oil well to help get oil flowing and then keep oil flowing if the flow slowed down or stopped. today they call it Fracking but its been going on for over a 100 years .

http://www.phmc.state.pa.us/portal/communities/pa-heritage/shooting-stars-drake-well.html

Well Rick F. Tallini  who purchased the Otto Cupler  Torpedo Company  which purchased the Roberts Torpedo company who patented the process .

In 1992 He got the idea to put on an educational yet fun show to teach about the dangers  as well as usefulness  of nitroglycerin. which also included skits and a shootout  between  Moon Lighters and Pinkerton's Moonlighters where men who illegally shot wells  and did not pay Roberts for use of his patent and where term Moonlighting originated 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWRqolnp894


Originally you could ride the  tourist train  and they used real nitro in the show but then in 1995

The show was moved to drake Well Museum and  much safer pyrotechnics where used and a much smaller compact staging are is used.

I was not able to find video of original show I will keep looking but here is the show in Drake well park 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7qEEAU__dQ

https://www.aparat.com/v/93HYn/Drake_Well_Nitro_Show

 


 




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