Explore History & Industry IN THE OIL REGION NATIONAL HERITAGE AREA Delve into the rich past of the petroleum industry at this officially designated National Heritage Area, where an oil boom changed the course of American history Begin your road trip in Titusville, at the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad , where you can hop on a vintage railcar at the 1890s Perry Street Station and enjoy a three-hour train ride that passes through beautiful Oil Creek State Park . TOP TO BOTTOM: OIL REGION ALLIANCE; VISITERIE REGIONS derrick, which housed the well that struck oil in 1859. Continue your drive and stop in Kennerdell to see Rockland Tunnel , an abandoned railroad tunnel; Rockland Furnace , an 1830s iron furnace; and Freedom Falls , a 20-foot waterfall cascading into a pool. In Oil City, see an enclave of artists in their studios at ARTS Oil City , and then learn more about local history at the Venango Museum of Art, Science and Industry . Then, check into the Caboose Motel , where you can stay overnight in a caboose car. The next morning, see where it all started at Drake Well Museum and Park , as you explore the replica of Edwin L. Drake’s engine house and Rockland Furnace Rockland Presque Isle Lighthouse Erie From historic homes to splendid government buildings, this region is home to grand examples of all types of architecture. Explore a maritime treasure in Erie at the 1873 Presque Isle Lighthouse , where you can climb the tower and take a self-guided tour of the attached lightkeeper’s house, which reflects a 19th-century French architectural design. Then, stroll through Erie’s Hagen History Center campus and see the 1891 Watson-Curtze Mansion , a brownstone mansion built in the Richardsonian Romanesque style, as well as the new location of Frank Lloyd Wright’s original San Francisco office , housed in a new, specially designed building. In nearby Franklin, explore the Franklin Historic District where you’ll find the stately Venango County Courthouse and the Samuel F. Dale House . Then spend the night in style. Tara – A Country Inn in Clark is an 1854 Greek Revival-style mansion with Gone with the Wind -themed rooms, while Buhl Mansion Guesthouse & Spa in Sharon is a Richardsonian Romanesque-style castle that was once home to steel magnate Frank H. Buhl. An Architectural Tour visitPA.com 75
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