Trailblazing Through History: Experience the Eclipse in the Oil Region National Heritage Area

© Timothy Rudisille

Trailblazing Through History: Experience the Eclipse in the Oil Region National Heritage Area

As the birthplace of the modern petroleum industry, the Oil Region National Heritage Area in northwest Pennsylvania revolutionized the world. It’s home to fascinating stories of fortunes won and lost, innovation, and perseverance.

It will make history again on April 8, 2024, as the path of totality for a once-in-a-lifetime total solar eclipse passes overhead in the afternoon.

Come to the Oil Region to experience the eclipse and take in the rich history, impressive outdoor recreation, and vibrant art scene always awaiting guests.

Much of the impressive late 1800s architecture and oilfield relics remain alongside charming small towns brimming with activities and special events.

Nature reclaimed “the Valley that Changed the World,” creating an outdoor recreation paradise with Oil Creek State Park and the Allegheny River at its heart. With more than 70 miles of paved bike trails plus hundreds more for hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding, fishing, and boating, the ORNHA offers adventure for everyone.

The ORNHA has the longest continuous miles of the Erie to Pittsburgh Trail, a 270-mile rail trail being developed for bicycling between Erie and Pittsburgh. The EPT contains two tunnels, the Rockland Tunnel at 0.5 miles and the Kennerdell Tunnel, which at 0.6 miles is one of the longest rail-trail tunnels in the U.S. and among the longest bike/ped tunnels in the world.

The North Country National Scenic Trail, the longest of the 11 National Scenic Trails authorized by the U.S. Congress, passes just south of the Oil Region on its route between Vermont and North Dakota.

Just south of the Oil Region in Foxburg is the oldest golf course in continuous use in the U.S., the Foxburg Golf Course & Country Club, and the American Golf Hall of Fame.

Drake Well Museum & Park interprets the oil industry’s history and its impact on the environment and daily life. The original well still exists inside a replica derrick, sometimes operated by re-enactors. The grounds offer additional exhibits to explore. A partner site, Historic Pithole City, is a former oil boomtown about a 20-minute drive from Drake Well. Here, a town of more than 15,000 people sprang up, then dwindled within two years. Now, all that remains is a visitor center containing a diorama depicting the streets, shops, hotels, and theaters of this once bustling community of oil speculators and the empty land left behind.

These towns were much like the Wild West and gold rush boomtowns. Often lawless collections of speculators and swindlers, oil boomtowns had dubious reputations.

The Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad takes riders through the valley and back in time on the only train in the U.S. with an operating Post Office car.

DeBence Antique Music World, Venango Museum of Art, Science, and Industry, the Tiffany Windows at St. John’s Episcopal Church, the artists of the National Transit Art Studios, and Barrow-Civic Theatre’s live performances contribute to the area’s vibrancy.

Self-guided walking tours in the towns of Titusville, Oil City, Franklin, and Emlenton, plus dozens of educational displays throughout the region, bring history to life.

The ORNHA is an affordable destination for adventure-seekers, history buffs, and the whole family.

Request an Oil Region Guide to plan your visit and see why the Oil Region National Heritage Area is a museum you can hike, bike, float, and fish!