Tidewater Petroleum

Tidewater Oil Company (rendered as Tide Water Oil Company from 1887 to 1936) was a major petroleum refining and marketing concern in the United States for more than 80 years. Tidewater was best known for its Flying A–branded products and gas stations, and for Veedol motor oil, which was known throughout the world.

Tide Water was founded in New York City in 1887. The company entered the gasoline market just before World War I, and by 1920 was selling gasoline, oil and other products on the East Coast under its Tydol brand. In 1926, control of Tide Water Oil passed to a new holding company, Tide Water Associated Oil Company, which also acquired a controlling interest in California’s Associated Oil Company. In 1931, Tide Water expanded its reach into the midwestern U.S. by purchasing Northwestern Oil Company of Superior, Wisconsin.

Soon thereafter, Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (now ExxonMobil), the largest stockholder in the original Tide Water company, set up the holding company Mission Corporation, to hold the stock of Tide Water Associated.J. Paul Getty's purchase of Mission in 1937 set the stage for the birth of Tidewater as a major national player in the oil industry.

In 1936, the separate companies, Associated Oil Company and Tide Water, were dissolved into the holding company, now renamed Tidewater Associated Oil Company. Associated was based in San Francisco with a market area limited to the Far West. Associated, founded in 1901, had created the prominent Flying A brand for its premium-grade gasoline in 1932.

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