Gowen Petroleum was a petroleum business owned by Henry Gowen and Lucas Bouchard.
History[]
Henry Gowen started Gowen Petroleum in 1916 along with Lucas Bouchard as minority partner. When he began the company, Henry ran at a loss, undercutting his competition in an effort to get ahead. The company became a major employer in the valley and seemed to be doing well. Unfortunately, Henry realized his business practices were endangering the very existence of the company, and money was running out. He didn't want to tell Lucas because he thought he could fix it. Lucas demanded to see the ledgers, but Henry wouldn't show them to him, so Lucas threatened legal action. To avoid scandal, Lucas began paying the men out of his own pocket, but knew that wasn't a sustainable plan. He decided to pull out of the company altogether. Elizabeth urged Lucas to help Henry save the company, and Henry offered to sell Lucas all of his shares. After the oil wells dried up, Gowen Petroleum went out of business, and the building is now used as a daycare center.