Findlay Natural Gas Company, formed by Dr. Charles Oesterlen, brought in the first commercial natural gas well to the area in 1884. Four short years changed the course of history in Northwest Ohio, making Findlay an industrial center. It began in 1886, when The Great Karg Well, the largest in the world at the time, came into Findlay creating such an abundance of gas that the town became known as the "City of Light." In 1887, free fuel, free light, and free land attracted 31 industries to Findlay. The following year, Findlay also became known as the "Glass Capital of the World" due to the large amounts of glass being produced. Finally, in 1890 Natural gas output declined and oil production increased.

This site is the first Findlay Field Office for what was to become a world-wide oil company.
In 1887, the Ohio Oil Company was incorporated by five independent oil producers in the Lima field. J.C. Donnell was elected President of the Ohio Oil Company in 1901. Twenty-eight years later construction began on the new office building located at South Main Street and Hardin Streets.
The name of the company changed in 1962 to Marathon Oil Company to reflect international operations.