Community Development

TERMO COMPANY

This small independent oil production company represents the historyof oil in Long Beach. Oil exploration was initiated by E.E. Combs, who was inspired by the Signal Hill oil strike of 1921 to purchase property for oil production. He was late joined by Roscoe f. Oakes of San Francisco, who became his partner; they founded the Termo Company. The structure housing the company offices was constructed as a single family dwelling in 1935. It is a one-story brick structure with Vermont slate roof and panelled walls inside. The property accomodated the offices, a warehouse and a drilling site.