Titusville, Pennsylvania
Encyclopedia
Titusville is a city in Crawford County
, Pennsylvania
, United States
. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil
was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.
. Within 14 years, others bought and improved the land lying near him, along the banks of the now-named Oil Creek. He named the village Edinburg(h), but as the village grew, the settlers began to call this little hamlet Titusville. The village was incorporated as a borough in 1849.
Lumber
was the principal industry with at least 17 sawmills in the area.
in the region caused quite the stir.
Oil was known to exist here, but there was no practical way to extract it. Generally, its main use to that time had been as a medicine for both animals and humans. In the late 1850s Seneca Oil Company (formerly the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company) sent Col. Edwin L. Drake, to start drilling on a piece of leased land just south of Titusville near what is now Oil Creek State Park
. Drake hired a salt well driller, William A. Smith, in the summer of 1859. They had many difficulties, but on August 27 at the site of an oil spring just south of Titusville, they finally drilled a well that could be commercially successful.
Teamster
s were needed immediately to transport the oil to markets. Transporting methods improved and in 1862 the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad was built between Titusville and Corry
where it was transferred to other, larger, east-west lines. In 1865 pipelines were laid directly to the rail line and the demand for teamsters practically ended. The next year the railroad line was extended south to Petroleum Centre and Oil City. The Union City & Titusville Railroad was built in 1865, which became part of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad in 1871. That fall, President U. S. Grant visited Titusville to view this important region.
Other oil-related businesses quickly exploded on the scene. Eight refineries were built between 1862 and 1868. Drilling tools were needed and several iron works were built. Titusville grew from 250 residents to 10,000 almost overnight and in 1866 it incorporated as a city. In 1871, the first oil exchange in the United States was established here. The exchange moved from the city, but returned in 1881 in a new, brick building before being dissolved in 1897.
The first oil millionaire
was Jonathan Watson, a resident of Titusville. He owned the land where Drake's well was drilled. He had been a partner in a lumber business prior to the success of the Drake well. At one time it was said that Titusville had more millionaires per 1,000 population than anywhere else in the world.
One resident of note was Franklin S. Tarbell whose large Italianate home still stands. He first moved a few miles south in Venango County
and established a wooden stock tank business. About 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of Titusville was another oil boom city, Pithole. Oil was discovered in a rolling meadow there in January 1865 and by September 1865 the population was 15,000. But the oil soon ran dry and within four years the city was nearly deserted. Tarbell moved to Titusville in 1870. His daughter, Ida Minerva Tarbell
, grew up amidst the sounds and smells of the oil industry. She became an accomplished writer and wrote a series of articles about the business practices of the Standard Oil Company and its president, John D. Rockefeller
, which sparked legislative action in Congress concerning monopolies.
Fire was always a fearful concern around oil and one of the worst was on June 11, 1880. It came to be known as "Black Friday," when almost 300000 barrels (47,696.2 m³) of oil burned after an oil tank was hit by lightning. The fire raged for three days until it finally was brought under control. Although the oil was valued at $2 million, there was no loss of life. Another fire occurred on June 5, 1892, when Oil Creek flooded and a tank of petroleum ether
overturned. The petroleum ether
ignited and in the ensuing explosions 60 men, women and children died. Another lightning strike in 1894 resulted in 27000 barrels (4,292.7 m³) lost in a fire.
Oil production in Pennsylvania
peaked in 1891, when other industries arose in Titusville. The iron and steel industries dominated the town in the early twentieth century with lumber eventually reclaiming its former cachet. Oil is still relevant, however. Charter Plastics Company, now located in a building that once manufactured pressure vessels, stationary engines and boilers for the oil industry, uses oil in its production process.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the city has a total area of 7.5 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi), all land.
of 2000, there were 6,146 people, 2,523 households, and 1,541 families residing in the city. The population density
was 2,115.2 people per square mile (815.5/km²). There were 2,742 housing units at an average density of 943.7 per square mile (363.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.58% White, 1.20% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.08% from other races
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.
There were 2,523 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,945, and the median income for a family was $36,679. Males had a median income of $27,283 versus $20,458 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $16,915. About 13.0% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Public education is provided through the Titusville Area School District
.
The city is home to the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
, a branch campus of the University of Pittsburgh
.
is a 290 acres (1.2 km²) park where Colonel Edwin Drake
successfully drilled for oil. It consists of a museum with artifacts, outdoor operating oil field equipment and a research library with photographs, manuscripts and more. The Drake Well Replica operates from May - September but the site and museum are open year round with frequent demonstrations and tours.
The OC&T (Oil Creek and Titusville) Railroad has a station in Titusville. This scenic ride takes travellers to the nearby city of Oil City, Pa
.
Crawford County, Pennsylvania
Crawford County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of 2010, the population was 88,765.Crawford County was created on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County and named for Colonel William Crawford...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 6,146 at the 2000 census. In 1859, oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
was successfully drilled in Titusville, resulting in the birth of the modern oil industry.
History
The area was first settled in 1796 by Jonathan TitusJonathan Titus
Jonathon Titus was born May 27, 1772 and is considered to be the founder of Titusville, Pennsylvania, United States.Jonathon Titus was born near Frankstown in Blair County, Pennsylvania...
. Within 14 years, others bought and improved the land lying near him, along the banks of the now-named Oil Creek. He named the village Edinburg(h), but as the village grew, the settlers began to call this little hamlet Titusville. The village was incorporated as a borough in 1849.
Lumber
Lumber
Lumber or timber is wood in any of its stages from felling through readiness for use as structural material for construction, or wood pulp for paper production....
was the principal industry with at least 17 sawmills in the area.
Oil rush
Titusville was a slow-growing and peaceful community until the 1850s, when the discovery of petroleumPetroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
in the region caused quite the stir.
Oil was known to exist here, but there was no practical way to extract it. Generally, its main use to that time had been as a medicine for both animals and humans. In the late 1850s Seneca Oil Company (formerly the Pennsylvania Rock Oil Company) sent Col. Edwin L. Drake, to start drilling on a piece of leased land just south of Titusville near what is now Oil Creek State Park
Oil Creek State Park
Oil Creek State Park is Pennsylvania state park on in Cherrytree, Cornplanter and Oil Creek Township Townships, Venango County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is adjacent to Drake Well Museum, the site of the first successful oil well in the United States, that was drilled under the...
. Drake hired a salt well driller, William A. Smith, in the summer of 1859. They had many difficulties, but on August 27 at the site of an oil spring just south of Titusville, they finally drilled a well that could be commercially successful.
Teamster
Teamster
A teamster, in modern American English, is a truck driver. The trade union named after them is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , one of the largest unions in the United States....
s were needed immediately to transport the oil to markets. Transporting methods improved and in 1862 the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad was built between Titusville and Corry
Corry, Pennsylvania
Corry is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. With a population of 6,834 at the 2000 United States Census, it is the second largest city in Erie County. Corry is a part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area...
where it was transferred to other, larger, east-west lines. In 1865 pipelines were laid directly to the rail line and the demand for teamsters practically ended. The next year the railroad line was extended south to Petroleum Centre and Oil City. The Union City & Titusville Railroad was built in 1865, which became part of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad in 1871. That fall, President U. S. Grant visited Titusville to view this important region.
Other oil-related businesses quickly exploded on the scene. Eight refineries were built between 1862 and 1868. Drilling tools were needed and several iron works were built. Titusville grew from 250 residents to 10,000 almost overnight and in 1866 it incorporated as a city. In 1871, the first oil exchange in the United States was established here. The exchange moved from the city, but returned in 1881 in a new, brick building before being dissolved in 1897.
The first oil millionaire
Millionaire
A millionaire is an individual whose net worth or wealth is equal to or exceeds one million units of currency. It can also be a person who owns one million units of currency in a bank account or savings account...
was Jonathan Watson, a resident of Titusville. He owned the land where Drake's well was drilled. He had been a partner in a lumber business prior to the success of the Drake well. At one time it was said that Titusville had more millionaires per 1,000 population than anywhere else in the world.
One resident of note was Franklin S. Tarbell whose large Italianate home still stands. He first moved a few miles south in Venango County
Venango County, Pennsylvania
Venango County is a county located in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 54,984. Its county seat is Franklin.-History:Venango County was created on March 12, 1800 from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties...
and established a wooden stock tank business. About 10 miles (16.1 km) southeast of Titusville was another oil boom city, Pithole. Oil was discovered in a rolling meadow there in January 1865 and by September 1865 the population was 15,000. But the oil soon ran dry and within four years the city was nearly deserted. Tarbell moved to Titusville in 1870. His daughter, Ida Minerva Tarbell
Ida M. Tarbell
Ida Minerva Tarbell was an American teacher, author and journalist. She was known as one of the leading "muckrakers" of the progressive era, work known in modern times as "investigative journalism". She wrote many notable magazine series and biographies...
, grew up amidst the sounds and smells of the oil industry. She became an accomplished writer and wrote a series of articles about the business practices of the Standard Oil Company and its president, John D. Rockefeller
John D. Rockefeller
John Davison Rockefeller was an American oil industrialist, investor, and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Standard Oil Company, which dominated the oil industry and was the first great U.S. business trust. Rockefeller revolutionized the petroleum industry and defined the structure of...
, which sparked legislative action in Congress concerning monopolies.
Fire was always a fearful concern around oil and one of the worst was on June 11, 1880. It came to be known as "Black Friday," when almost 300000 barrels (47,696.2 m³) of oil burned after an oil tank was hit by lightning. The fire raged for three days until it finally was brought under control. Although the oil was valued at $2 million, there was no loss of life. Another fire occurred on June 5, 1892, when Oil Creek flooded and a tank of petroleum ether
Petroleum ether
Petroleum ether, also known as benzine, VM&P Naphtha, Petroleum Naphtha, Naphtha ASTM, Petroleum Spirits, X4 or Ligroin, is a group of various volatile, highly flammable, liquid hydrocarbon mixtures used chiefly as nonpolar solvents...
overturned. The petroleum ether
Petroleum ether
Petroleum ether, also known as benzine, VM&P Naphtha, Petroleum Naphtha, Naphtha ASTM, Petroleum Spirits, X4 or Ligroin, is a group of various volatile, highly flammable, liquid hydrocarbon mixtures used chiefly as nonpolar solvents...
ignited and in the ensuing explosions 60 men, women and children died. Another lightning strike in 1894 resulted in 27000 barrels (4,292.7 m³) lost in a fire.
Oil production in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
peaked in 1891, when other industries arose in Titusville. The iron and steel industries dominated the town in the early twentieth century with lumber eventually reclaiming its former cachet. Oil is still relevant, however. Charter Plastics Company, now located in a building that once manufactured pressure vessels, stationary engines and boilers for the oil industry, uses oil in its production process.
Geography
Titusville is located at 41°37′45"N 79°40′28"W (41.629267, -79.674386).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 7.5 square kilometres (2.9 sq mi), all land.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 6,146 people, 2,523 households, and 1,541 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,115.2 people per square mile (815.5/km²). There were 2,742 housing units at an average density of 943.7 per square mile (363.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.58% White, 1.20% African American, 0.29% Native American, 0.28% Asian, 0.08% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.57% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.85% of the population.
There were 2,523 households out of which 29.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 38.9% were non-families. 35.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.94.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.2% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 20.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 82.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $25,945, and the median income for a family was $36,679. Males had a median income of $27,283 versus $20,458 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $16,915. About 13.0% of families and 15.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.3% of those under age 18 and 9.8% of those age 65 or over.
Public education is provided through the Titusville Area School District
Titusville Area School District
The Titusville Area School District is a small, rural public school district located in Titusville, Pennsylvania.The School District comprises Allegheny Township, Cherrytree Township, Oilcreek Township and Pleasantville Borough located in Venango County; and Centerville Borough, Hydetown Borough,...
.
The city is home to the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
University of Pittsburgh at Titusville
University of Pittsburgh at Titusville, commonly referred to as Pitt-Titusville or UPT, is a regional campus of the University of Pittsburgh located in Titusville, Pennsylvania...
, a branch campus of the University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
.
Tourism and recreation
The Drake Well MuseumDrake Well Museum
The Drake Well Museum is a museum that interprets the birth of the American oil industry in 1859 by "Colonel" Edwin Drake along the banks of Oil Creek in Cherrytree Township, Venango County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The museum collects and preserves related artifacts...
is a 290 acres (1.2 km²) park where Colonel Edwin Drake
Edwin Drake
Edwin Laurentine Drake , also known as Colonel Drake, was an American oil driller, popularly credited with being the first to drill for oil in the United States.-Early life:...
successfully drilled for oil. It consists of a museum with artifacts, outdoor operating oil field equipment and a research library with photographs, manuscripts and more. The Drake Well Replica operates from May - September but the site and museum are open year round with frequent demonstrations and tours.
The OC&T (Oil Creek and Titusville) Railroad has a station in Titusville. This scenic ride takes travellers to the nearby city of Oil City, Pa
Oil City, Pennsylvania
Oil City is a city in Venango County, Pennsylvania that is known in the initial exploration and development of the petroleum industry. After the first oil wells were drilled nearby in the 1850s, Oil City became central in the petroleum industry while hosting headquarters for the Pennzoil, Quaker...
.
Notable people
- William Henry AndrewsWilliam Henry AndrewsWilliam Henry "Bull" Andrews was an American politician who served as a Republican representative in the Pennsylvania General Assembly and as a delegate from the New Mexico Territory....
(1846–1919), Politician - John HeismanJohn HeismanJohn William Heisman was an American player and coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He served as the head football coach at Oberlin College , Buchtel College, now known as the University of Akron , Auburn University , Clemson University , Georgia Tech , the...
(1869–1936), American football player and coach - Paul S. L. JohnsonPaul S. L. JohnsonPaul Samuel Leo Johnson was an American scholar and pastor, the founder of the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement. He authored 17 volumes of religious writings entitled Epiphany Studies in the Scriptures, and published two magazines from about 1918 until his death in 1950...
(1873–1950), American scholar and pastor - John E. PetersonJohn E. PetersonJohn E. Peterson is a Republican politician from the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. From 1997 - 2009, he represented the state's mainly rural and largely Republican 5th Congressional district in the U.S. House.-Biography:...
(b. 1938), US Congressman - Jeannie SeelyJeannie SeelyJeannie Seely is an American country music singer and Grand Ole Opry star. She is best-known for her 1966 Grammy award-winning Country hit, "Don't Touch Me", which peaked at No...
(b. 1940), Country music singer - John Washington SteeleJohn Washington SteeleJohn Washington Steele , also known as Coal Oil Johnny, was one of the first oil millionnaires acquiring their wealth from the oil discovered in Pennsylvania in the mid-19th century...
(1843–1920), flamboyant oilman - Ida Tarbell (1857–1944), Teacher, Journalist
- Dane RauschenbergDane RauschenbergDane Rauschenberg is an American long-distance runner who ran 52 marathons, one every weekend, throughout 2006. He raised over $43,000 for charity, as part of an effort he called "Fiddy2".-Background:...
(b. 1976), Endurance Athlete