What are the opening hours?

Wednesday 10am - 2pm Thursday 10am - 2pm

Wood River Refinery History Museum

Name: Wood River Refinery History Museum
Address: 900 S. Central Avenue , Rt. 111, Roxana, IL, 62084, US
Telephone: (618) 255-3718
Price range: Not Applicable

Home
United States
Roxana, IL
Wood River Refinery History Museum

Call Directions Website

Documenting the construction, operation, people, & contributions of WRR over its 100+ year history

10/11/2026

Floyd Bazzell obituary -

Floyd R. Bazzell died September 28, 2026 at 10:24 p.m. at Barnes Jewish Hospital.

He was born Jan 6, 1943 in Alton, IL, the son of Floyd M. and Dorothy (Henson) Bazzell. He served in the U.S. Airforce and on Feb 27, 1965 he married Mary K (Kreinest) She preceded him in death January 6, 2024.

He worked as a machinist at Shell Oil. He was a Knight in the Knights of Columbus Hall of Alton, VFW Post 1308 and was a member of the Alton-Wood River Sportsman's Club.

He is survived by two sons; Tyrone R. Bazzell of Newport Richey, Fl and Lance H. Bazzell (Susan) of Godfrey, IL. Two grandchildren; Connor J. Bazzell and Chloe M. Bazzell. In addition to his wife and parents he was preceded in death by a brother; Ricky D. Bazzell and a sister; Barbara J. Taul and her husband Donald.

10/08/2026

Mike Kohlmiller obituary -

Michael "Mike" Kohlmiller, a cherished husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend, passed away peacefully at home in Grafton, Illinois, on September 3, 2026, after a courageous battle with cancer. Born on January 24, 1964, in Edwardsville, Illinois, Mike lived a life full of love, laughter, and generosity that touched everyone he met.

The son of the late Eugene and Jorene Kohlmiller, Mike was a proud graduate of Edwardsville High School, class of 1982, where he excelled as an athlete in both football and softball. His academic journey continued at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), where he met the love of his life, Penny Kay Hutton. Mike and Penny were married on September 23, 1983, at Eden Church in Edwardsville. Together, they shared 43 beautiful years, raising two wonderful daughters, Kristie Ladd and Ashley Kohlmiller, and becoming the proud grandparents of Tristan and Robby.

Known for his unwavering dedication to his work, Mike served as an operational engineer at the Wood River refinery, navigating through numerous company changes with steadfast commitment. In addition to his engineering career, he was a skilled carpenter, crafting beautiful homes for his family and leaving behind a legacy of craftsmanship.

Mike's passions extended beyond his work. He was an active member of the Eden Church community for many years and, in 2009, joined St. Ambrose Catholic Church alongside Penny. His love for the water was evident through his membership with the Alton Motorboat Club and his honorary title as the "Ambassador of Grafton," where he delighted in sharing the local culture with visitors and friends alike.

A man of boundless energy and warmth, Mike was known for his kind and generous spirit, his infectious laughter, and his love for dancing and social gatherings. He was open-hearted and welcoming, creating a home filled with love and joy for his family and friends.

Mike is survived by his devoted wife, Penny Kay Kohlmiller, loving daughters Kristie Ladd and Ashley Kohlmiller, cherished grandsons Tristan and Robby, his sister Debbie, her spouse Tom, and brother Alan. He is predeceased by his beloved parents, Eugene and Jorene, and his younger brother, Brian.

10/03/2026

October 1966 - 60 years ago: Shell Review issues highlighted the Distilling department. One article focused on the towering stack of the huge new Distilling Unit No. 2 under construction (DU-2 is still in service). When completed it would replace existing Distilling Units 2, 3, & 4 (we don't know why the new unit wasn't numbered 5). Another article was projected to be the first of a series highlighting different skilled employee groups - in this case Distilling operators.

09/25/2026

September 1956 - 70 years ago: Shops No. 2 at Wood River Refinery was completed. It takes many different skilled crafts people to keep WRR running safely and reliably. Shops No. 2 was a workspace built for blacksmiths, carpenters, insulators, laborers, leadburners, masons, painters, pipefitters, and plumbers. (Shops No. 1 for electricians, instrument technicians, machinists, and valve repairmen was completed earlier.) Here is Shops No. 2's story from the Shell Review.

09/16/2026

Dennis Yarnik obituary -

Dennis Michael Yarnik, 78, of Staunton, IL, passed away on Saturday, September 5, 2026 at St. John's Hospital in Springfield, IL. He was born November 28, 1947 in Litchfield, IL, the son of the late Arthur & Margaret (Cailotto) Yarnik Sr. He married Gayle A. Masinelli on April 17, 1971 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Staunton, IL & she survives.

Dennis was a 1965 graduate of Staunton High School & attended Ranken Technical College, graduating with a degree in Communications Electronics. He worked several jobs before starting at Shell Oil Company in 1977, retiring in 2012. He was a part-time police officer with the Staunton Police Department, & coached & served on the Board of the City Baseball League. In the mid-1970's, Dennis was one of the original crew that started the Staunton Area Ambulance Service, serving for over 25 years as an EMT, Board Member, & Treasurer. Unbeknownst to his children, he was "Santa" for several years for the Junior Service Club, his mother acting as his accomplice/seamstress. He was an active member of Zion Lutheran Church in Staunton, recently elected to serve as an Elder for the Church. As a car enthusiast, Dennis was a Southern Illinois Safety Inspector with the National Street Rod Association for many years.

He is survived by three children - Jeff (Janelle Franke) Yarnik of Staunton, IL, Julie Orr of Staunton, IL, & Jennifer (Brooks Pfeiffer) Yarnik of Mt. Olive, IL; one grandson - Joshua Franke of Staunton, IL; his mother-in-law - Dolores Masinelli; & several nieces & nephews also survive. Besides his parents, Dennis was preceded in death by three brothers - Ron, Jerry, & Art; his father-in-law - Charles Masinelli; & his son-in-law - Phil Orr.

09/10/2026

September 1986 - 40 years ago: the refinery (then called Wood River Manufacturing Complex) held an open house for employees and their families. Here are photos of the event, from the September Wood River Review. See anyone you know?

08/28/2026

August 1916 - 110 years ago: construction began on Roxana Petroleum's first refinery, in Cushing, Oklahoma. Here is the story from the May 1918 issue of the company magazine, Roxoleum. The Cushing refinery didn't operate for long; it was dismantled in 1919 and equipment was sent to Roxana's new refinery in Wood River.

08/21/2026

August 1966 - 60 years ago: the Shell Review featured a few new hires at Wood River Refinery. One of them happens to be David "Pete" Peterson, longtime museum volunteer and currently its Vice-President.

08/13/2026

August 1976 - 50 years ago: the Wood River Review shown its spotlight on pipefitters, the largest craft in the refinery. The skilled craftsmen work with fractional inch diameter aluminum tubing to large diameter steel and alloy piping. For "old timers," there are some familiar names and faces in the photos.

08/08/2026

August 1946 - 80 years ago: there was flooding. The 1993 flood was a bad one, and the 1973 flood was almost as bad, but neither one flooded Wood River Refinery. However, the museum has a handful of photos from a 1946 flood that was different from the more recent ones. Notes on the back of the photos don't mention the Mississippi River, but say that flooding was from a levee break on Indian Creek. The flooded S. Central Avenue photo - the road that runs past the front of the refinery (and museum) - was a surprise.

Where is Indian Creek, you might ask. Well, it's East of the refinery, East of IL-255, and East of Wanda Road.

Address

900 S. Central Avenue , Rt. 111
Roxana, IL
62084

Opening Hours

Wednesday	10am - 2pm
Thursday	10am - 2pm

Telephone

(618) 255-3718

Website

https://wrrmuseum.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Wood River Refinery History Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Want your museum to be the top-listed museum in Roxana?