White Mountain Oil & Propane Inc
P.O. Box 690 , 2820 White Mountain Hwy , North Conway, New Hampshire, United States

White Mountain Oil & Propane is a family-owned, locally-operated energy retailer serving northern New Hampshire and western Maine for three generations. White Mountain Oil & Propane delivers premium fuel oil products, propane gas as well as heating service and installation from our base in the heart of the Mount Washington Valley on Main Street, North Conway Village.  We also sell and service boilers, furnaces, Maytag home appliances, Rinnai heaters, water heaters (tank-less and conventional) solar water systems, gas hearth products, gas grills, and many other oil and propane-related items required by our loyal customers.

History

Founded by the late Ben Saunders and his wife, Ethel, prior to World War II, White Mountain Oil originally delivered range oil to houses, farms and businesses around Mt. Washington Valley. Soon Ben and his co-workers began replacing coal-fired boilers and furnaces with "modern" oil systems. Ben and his crew often delivered oil and kerosene all day and worked evenings installing oil burners and heating equipment.In 1949, White Mountain Oil constructed an office and showroom at the site of the former Tony Lenas sub shop (now Via Roma) on South Main Street. This new building allowed for a showroom for the sale of kitchen appliances. Local townspeople were amazed to see appliances of different makes, sizes, and colors all under one roof. Also, while in our South Main Street location, White Mountain Oil entered the propane gas business. At that time, propane was known as "bottled gas" and was more a factor of the home appliance line (stoves, refrigerators, water heaters) than of the heating fuel division. Perhaps it was an accidental start but now the propane aspect of our operation far exceeds our oil sales with multiple homes, condominium complexes, malls and industrial locations serviced by a fleet of propane tanker trucks.

In the early 1950s however, propane was transported only in one-hundred pound cylinders dropped off the back of a pick-up truck. White Mountain Oil delivered full tanks by hand while empty ones were returned and collected at the shop for a re-fill. It was hard, physical work especially in the deep snows of winter. In the 1950s our current North Main Street, North Conway Village office and showroom was constructed.  

In 1965 White Mountain Oil & Propane built our own propane bulk plant in North Conway on the old Maine Central Railroad siding. It was also in the 1960s that Ben and Ethels two sons, Glenn and Scott, returned from the service and college to join their father in the growth of the business. Over the years White Mountain Oil & Propane has grown to a force of approximately 50 employees serving thousands of customers in northern New Hampshire and Western Maine. In the late 1990s, we installed a state-of-the-art propane and fuel-oil storage facility in Conway, NH. In the mid 2000s, we completed construction of a new propane storage plant in Campton, NH. In 2014 we opened a storefront/office in Lincoln, NH to better serve the community in the Lincoln/Woodstock area.

Glenn Saunders and his sons Kirk and Mark now run the company and Ethel still lives next door to the office. Prior to his death in November of 2012, Ben and Ethel used to sit and watch with great pride the growth of the company they started more than 75 years ago.

Fuel Oils We Deliver

White Mountain Oil & Propane has been in the fuel oil business since 1941. We deliver premium #2 heating oil,   K-1 kerosene, diesel and gasoline products. Heating oil is widely used throughout New Hampshire and Maine as a primary energy source in homes and businesses. More than 59% of all homes in New Hampshire heat with oil, according to the Oil Heat Council of New Hampshire.  Oil heat is a safe, dependable, economical and comfortable energy source. Research developments have allowed oil heat to conserve more energy over the years and provide clean-burn technology which makes oil heat the smart choice for consumers who heat their homes in northern New England.

Propane Services

White Mountain Oil & Propane entered the propane business in the late 1940s and, since that time, we have been on the forefront of propane innovation in the Mount Washington Valley, our region, and the nation. Owners, managers, and staff of White Mountain Oil & Propane have served on national propane gas boards and committees, including national technical standards development committees and marketing development teams.  Propane gas, also called LPG or Liquefied Petroleum Gas, is a by-product of the process of refining crude oil and natural gas. Propane gas is primarily a US domestic product and arrives in New Hampshire by rail, ship or truck. There is a massive propane pipeline from Texas to New York which is a primary route for propane gas to the Northeast.  White Mountain Oil & Propane has bulk storage facilities in Conway, NH and in Campton, NH as well as Fryeburg, Maine from which we serve our many residential and commercial accounts. Propane gas is a clean, reliable, efficient and versatile energy source.