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Oil City Trail |
one moment while we fetch a trail picture
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Oil City Trail |
one moment while we fetch a trail picture
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The commercial district of Oil City is rich with interesting architecture. The city of Oil City has encouraged artists to take up residence. Many restaurant and shops have entrances on the parallel streets of Elm and Seneca. Along West First street there are a number of grand houses built during the oil boom times.
The Allegheny Valley RR was established to serve the oil industry, reaching Oil City in 1868. In 1910, it was incorporated in the Pennsylvania RR system, and it later became part of Conrail. Service ended in 1984.
This trail is in the Oil Region National Heritage Area (oilheritage.org), which includes all of Venango County, plus the towns of Titusville, Hydetown, and Oil Creek Township in Crawford County. It tells the story of Colonel Edwin Drake drilling the world’s first successful oil well in 1859, which changed the course of industry, society, and politics in the modern world. The Oil Region contains many remnants of the oil industry, as well as historic valley settlements shaped by native and immigrant populations.