This Museum's mission is to preserve and conserve its holdings and the beautiful Beaux Arts building it occupies, which is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Oil City
Colonel Edwin Drake's discovery of oil in 1859 started the famous oil rush, and a working replica of the original oil well is located next to Oil Creek in northern Venango County. People came to Oil City to make money, and they did! During 1865, approximately half the oil shipped worldwide was shipped out through Oil City. Diversified industries have replaced this prosperity.
Many of the oil businesses created at the time in Oil City remain international corporations with oil as their primary resource. Today, Oil City no longer hosts many of these large corporations within its boundaries, but still provides an environment that is inviting to both small and large businesses and industries, as well as their employees and families.
Oil City is the largest community in Venango County with a population of about 10,000, and is located on the Allegheny River in the central part of the County. While our tree-lined streets and stately homes give the appearance of a Norman Rockwell painting from years past, the city's public and private infrastructure has kept pace with current (and future) industry requirements. Fortunately, the costs of doing business in the area have not kept pace with large urban or metropolitan standards, and the operating costs of companies in the region are reminiscent of yesteryear. All of this is in a city that provides a historic past, a low cost of living, and an excellent quality of life for families of every type and background.
Explore the advantages Oil City can offer. Its tree-lined streets and stately homes evoke a Norman Rockwell setting. Surrounding our town are beautiful farms and forests, which offer a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Our residents are workers, stable, and technically oriented. All of these assets offer new industries an ideal location for growth.
