Oil City can claim a three-time medal winner in the summer Olympics who later gained fame in Hollywood. Josephine Eveline McKim, born in 1910 in Oil City, was the granddaughter of Clarion County native William McKim who served as Oil City postmaster. Her parents were Frederick and Musa Hunter McKim and they were the parents of two daughters, Josephine and Musa. The family lived in Oil City until Frederick took
How about calling it the Peoples Park? Or maybe, Petroleum Park? What about Honeysuckle Hill Park? Those were just a few of the names suggested for what would become a sprawling and beautiful urban park established 125 years ago in the City of Oil City. The 48-acre tract was offered free of charge to the city on August 12, 1895, by oilman and banker William Hasson who stipulated that the
Oil City was a top destination for the traveling circus shows. The popularity of the city as a prime venue on the national circuit was due in large part to leading citizens who had the financial wherewithal to pay the tab. In addition, the city’s numerous clubs, whether social or fraternal or professional, stepped up to serve as sponsors for all types of entertainment. As a result, stage and movie
The City of Oil City, marking its 150th anniversary in 2021 as an incorporated city, owed its early start as a river community that served as a microcosm of the industrial flow and ebb of the region. There were very few communities in the United States that saw its wealth soar in just a short time. Thanks to the oil boom, great fortunes were made almost over night and the