Hidden Heritage

The Oil City area’s hidden heritage is one filled with ingenuity, largesse, culture and so much more. The city’s incredible success was fueled by great wealth and exceptional talent. Much of our heritage, though, is unknown to many of us. The Oil City Heritage Society and the Oil City Library believe our city’s legacy should be shared and enjoyed. To that end, we will share our community’s stories and pictures on our Hidden Heritage blog. Stay tuned for historic as well as quirky entries that tell our history.

Support the Oil City Library Theater Restoration Project

By donating to this cause, you will be contributing to the revitalization of not just a historic theater, but an entire community. Your generous contributions will enable us to implement vital community programs that inspire & engage people of all ages, fostering a deeper appreciation for the arts.

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The Boom

August 13, 2021
Judy Etzel

Oil City offered teenagers in the 1950s and 1960s a wide array of social venues. Key among the

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1920" height="1382" src="https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109.jpg 1920w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109-300x216.jpg 300w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109-1024x737.jpg 1024w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109-768x553.jpg 768w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109-1536x1106.jpg 1536w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Grand-View-Sanatorium-OC-Pa-Dave-Heinzer-scaled-e1626812394109-800x576.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px" />

Contagion

July 30, 2021
Judy Etzel

The threat of health scourges from polio to influenza, cholera to coronavirus, is a topic that finds

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Oil City All-Stars

July 16, 2021
Judy Etzel

Oil City can claim a three-time medal winner in the summer Olympics who later gained fame in

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Hasson Park

July 2, 2021
Judy Etzel

How about calling it the Peoples Park? Or maybe, Petroleum Park? What about Honeysuckle Hill Park?

<img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1650" height="1031" src="https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy.jpg" class="attachment-full size-full wp-post-image" alt="" srcset="https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy.jpg 1650w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy-300x187.jpg 300w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy-1024x640.jpg 1024w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy-768x480.jpg 768w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy-1536x960.jpg 1536w, https://oilregionlibraries.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/Elephants-in-the-Allegheny-River-copy-copy-800x500.jpg 800w" sizes="(max-width: 1650px) 100vw, 1650px" />

The Greatest Show on Earth

June 18, 2021
Judy Etzel

Oil City was a top destination for the traveling circus shows. The popularity of the city as a prime

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A Historic Anniversary

June 4, 2021
Judy Etzel

The City of Oil City, marking its 150th anniversary in 2021 as an incorporated city, owed its early

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PLEASE NOTE:

Hidden Heritage has produced 61 volumes since its inception in May of 2021. While there are still many more stories to share about Oil City’s eventful past, it is time for a brief intermission. Volume 61 will be the last to publish before Hidden Heritage takes a hiatus until further notice. We want to thank our readers for all the support & encourage you to read published volumes below, where they will remain freely available for the foreseeable future. If you’d like to purchase volumes in bulk, 4 compendiums are available at the Oil City Library. We look forward to bringing you more stories in the future!

– Judy, Kay & Natalie