Long Beach Petroleum Club

Having a Petroleum Club in Long Beach was the idea of Lee Foust and C.L. “Slim” Fowler which developed in the steam room of the Pacific Coast Club one week during the summer of 1954. They had discussed the thought many times before, but it was on this particular occasion that they decided to do something about it. After sounding out some members of the oil fraternity and receiving a favorable reaction, for the most part, a committee was formed to secure membership subscriptions. Burning the midnight oil in the Foust Rumpus Room for several nights turned up a list of 150 prospective members. All were contacted with excellent results and thus a nucleus on which to base a club was formed.

In November 1954, the Board of Directors entered into a lease agreement with Arthur V. Morgan for clubrooms adjacent to Ricart’s Restaurant at 4635 Atlantic Avenue in Long Beach.