At first naturally occurring "bituminous rock" was used, such as at Ritchie Mines in Macfarlan in Ritchie County, West Virginia from 1852 to 1873.
æt fˈɜːst nˈætʃɚɹəli əkˈɜːɹɪŋ "baɪtˈuːmɪnəs ɹˈɑːk" wʌz jˈuːzd, sˈʌtʃ ɐz æt ɹˈɪtʃi mˈaɪnz ɪn mˈækfɑːɹlən ɪn ɹˈɪtʃi kˈaʊnti, wˈɛst vɜːdʒˈɪniə fɹʌm wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd fˈɪfti tˈuː tə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː.