THE OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA
With impressive Victorian architecture dating back to the mid-1800s, there’s history and beauty to be found behind every corner. Experience all that the region has to offer, from museums, lively local arts, brewpubs, shops, and a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities—the Oil Region has something for everyone.
during the Revolutionary War, Oil City has three historic districts. Contributing buildings/resources include the National Transit Building and Annex, an 1890s headquarters for a Standard Oil subsidiary, now home to an entry mural on the history of oil and gallery and artist studio spaces, and the Venango Museum of Art, Science & Industry, housed in a 1905 former post office, featuring regular and changing exhibits.
One of only 55 National Heritage Areas in the U.S., Congress designated the ORNHA in 2004 because of the significant influence the oil industry’s start had on the regional culture and world history. The ORNHA is managed by the nonprofit Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry & Tourism (ORA).
Founded on land given to Seneca Chief Cornplanter as a thank you for his support
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The Scheide House in Titusville is a historic home, once owned by John Scheide. The Scheide family were avid bibliophiles and built a collection of rare books, including a 1455 Gutenberg Bible, an original printing of the Declaration of Independence, and Shakespeare’s first folios. The collection was donated to Princeton University, constituting their largest single donation to date, valued at $300,000,000. Princeton keeps the collection in a reproduction of the Scheide House’s fireproof masonry library wing on campus.
All photos courtesy of © Oil Region
EXPLORING PENNSYLVANIA’S OIL REGION
Pennsylvania’s Oil Region is rich with history. The birthplace of the Oil Industry not only changed the area—it changed the world. What was once the site of the world’s first commercially successful oil well, gritty and industrial, is now a picturesque, biodiverse, second-growth forest with several cold water fishery creeks.
Investigative journalism pioneer Ida Tarbell grew up in Titusville during the oil era. She wrote The History of the Standard Oil Company, a scathing exposé of John D. Rockefeller’s business that led to antimonopoly legislation. Her historically preserved childhood home is now a house museum and site for special events. © Washington mural by Deac Mong
THE VALLEY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD:
In 1753, young colonial officer George Washington was assigned to deliver a message to the French, who had a string of forts in what would become western Pennsylvania. He and his contingent traveled from Williamsburg, VA, pausing
