Discovery of Black Gold

The population of Leduc during this time was approximately 1,000 citizens. The town had only a few amenities, such as a town hall, a fire engine, an outdoor curling rink, a baseball field and the Waldorf hotel. 

The drilling crew for Leduc No. 1, consisting of Vern Hunter and his wildcat crew of four drillers and 28 "roughnecks," who handled a variety of jobs around the rig, arrived in Leduc in November 1946. The citizens of Leduc were less than thrilled with the arrival of the drilling crew and specifically, the "roughnecks," who had a reputation for rowdiness.