This Day in History (1957): Permanent Operations Begin at ‘Udhailiyah Townsite

From the Feb. 6, 1957, edition of the Sun and Flare

A new, complete community began activity on virtually a full-scale operational level Sunday morning, Feb. 3, with the move of personnel and facilities from the former temporary camp at ‘Uthmaniyah to the permanent settlement at ‘Udhailiyah.

The move of more than 300 employees and their belongings was effected in two hours Sunday morning. Immediately, facilities in ‘Udhailiyah began operation.

The first meal in the new dining hall was served at noon; the family issue store was being stocked in readiness for its first customer; the theater equipment was installed, and the first movie was shown Sunday night; the clinic, the only building involved in the move, was in place, awaiting only the arrival of a nurse from Abqaiq; and by nightfall, tired ‘Udhailiyah residents were ready to test the beds in the new quarters.

A fully equipped townsite, ‘Udhailiyah initially has ten Senior Staff family row-houses and two bachelor units with four rooms each, in addition to the regular five-room bachelor housing.

Facilities include consolidated shops, garage, administration building, school, intermediate and general dining hall, industrial training center, and radio tower. 

One of the outstanding features of ‘Udhailiyah will be the integration of services wherein all employees will utilize the family issue store facilities at specified hours.

A recreation center is now under construction. Some recreational facilities and snack bar will be in service during February, while completion of bowling alleys is scheduled for April.

A 3,500-foot airstrip is being graded; it will provide services for DC-3s, and smaller craft.

Begun in October, 1955, construction of the ‘Udhailiyah townsite was just completed. The location is to serve as a permanent operating camp for Ain Dar GOSP No. 4 and ‘Uthmaniyah GOSPs Nos. 1, 2, and 3.

The first family to set up housekeeping in their new home in ‘Udhailiyah was Mr. and Mrs. Ed Jones, who made the move on Monday.

Also on this date

2018 — SpaceX's Falcon Heavy, a super heavy launch vehicle, makes its maiden voyage

2006 — Stephen Harper becomes Canadian prime minister

1998 — Washington National Airport is renamed Ronald Regan National Airport

1981 — The National Resistance Army of Uganda launches an attack on a Ugandan Army installation in the central Mubende District to begin the Ugandan Bush War

1973 — The Luhuo earthquake strikes Sichuan Province, causing widespread destruction, killing at least 2,199 people

1959 — Jack Kilby of Texas Instruments files the first patent for an integrated circuit

1958 — Eight Manchester United F.C. players and 15 other passengers are killed in the Munich air disaster

1952 — Elizabeth II becomes Queen of the United Kingdom after the death of her father, George VI

1940 — American network television journalist and author Tom Brokaw is born in Webster, South Dakota

1919 — The American Legion is founded

1918 — British women over the age of 30 (who meet minimum property requirements) get the right to vote with the passage of the Representation of the People Act by Parliament

1899 — The Treaty of Paris, a peace treaty between the U.S. and Spain, is ratified by the U.S. Senate

1833 — Otto becomes the first modern King of Greece

1819 — Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles founds Singapore

1756 — Aaron Burr, third vice president of the U.S., is born in Newark, N.J.