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1924 Map of Oil City

Name: 1924 Topographic Map of Oil City
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1944
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1944

About this map

The Allegheny River carves a winding path through this Venango County landscape, serving as the industrial and geographic anchor for Oil City. In the 1920s, the region's character was defined by the intersection of early oil extraction and a dense network of rural communities. Settlements like Rouseville and Reno follow the river and rail lines, while the surrounding uplands are dotted with family-named corners and crossroads such as McPhersons Corner and Sadlers Corner.

Local life at this time centered on a prolific number of small school districts, with names like Foster Hill School and Blauser School appearing in almost every township. The map also captures leisure and transition, from the Rose Gardens near the city to Monarch Park in Cranberry township. The presence of the Clapp Lease and various pump stations reflects the persistent oil economy that shaped the development of Cornplanter and President townships long after the initial boom.