Oil City, Pennsylvania | What Happened?

Oil City, Pennsylvania is a Rust Belt City located in Venango County. This city has been on the decline for a number of decades now with economic downfalls and job losses. Rich in history with some of the earliest oil wells and petroleum industry, it used to produce over a million barrels of oil per year. Companies like Wolf's Head, Pennzoil, and Quaker State had headquarters here. Unfortunately things began to decline and those days are long gone. Population has dwindled from 22,075 to 9,348 as of recently. Although there are beautiful architecture buildings and homes, much of the area is plagued with decay. Empty homes, businesses are quite common. Poverty is a major issue, as is crime. Let's take a drive and check it out!

[@StephenMontgomery-l5b]

This is my hometown. I lived here until 1994. When all the oil moved out, it had a domino effect on the community. I have lived all over the country at this point and there has been no place like Oil City. There was a real sense of community here, everyone looked out for one another. I am very proud to call this my hometown.

[@jayjaynella4539]

This is one of your most "prosperous" location vids. What I like is the lack of graphics, ads, sponsorships, no shrilly man bun voices or shrieking woman voices, no music or other noise. Just the rumble of the engine and the photography. If you do the interviews, which would be good, it would be better to section your videos so we can maintain your present excellent format of letting the camera do its job.

[@hoodsnhollers]

I love to hear the feedback, thank you so much!

[@jayjaynella4539]

@@hoodsnhollers 😀

[@damnationdefied777]

I like how you incorporated both good and bad. Very good camera work

[@timruth6514]

I was born there in 1960. Raised up the river in Tionesta. Sad to see how much it’s changed.

[@thats_right_mofo]

So sad 😭

[@danfriesen4417]

I personally enjoy the silent aspect of the videos. Gives them a bit of an eery quality

[@1940limited]

I like that, too.

[@gabe5946]

Yea I agree with you, the video speaks volumes, No commentary needed

[@CronesBones]

Yessss 👍☺️

[@ruffsilver122]

This town is surrounded with such gorgeous scenery.. the forests are so thick and green, a river or lake in the distance, and those churches are incredible. It's still a pretty town, flowers planted, streets clean enough.. You can tell they have pride in their little city.. I would love to visit this place.

[@johnlorrieboskovic2836]

I'll have to show this to my mom. Oil City was her happy place. Her Aunt (Dad's sister) and family lived here for many years and she came here often in the summers as a child. We would usually visit once a year or so when I was a kid. They didn't live in town. I recall going up a very steep road to get to their house. One night coming home one of their family members drove ahead of us as it was so foggy. Ah, travel before nav systems with only sealed beam headlights to guide you. Thank You!

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Warning to all future mail carriers... Do not work in any Pennsylvania city delivering mail or be prepared to climb 2,683,914 stairs daily. 😩

[@sheisLD]

🤣

[@rosiemcnaughton9933]

I too like the fact that your videos are "quiet". That's one of the reasons I subscribed. If you have something to say, you just add it at the bottom of the screen. Pennsylvania is a beautiful state and some of these old towns are very quaint and have beautiful architecture. Too bad about the decline of the industry...🥺

[@bullfrogmachine]

Another great video👍 interviews is a lot more work but would awesome to hear from people in the towns or city's👌thanks again for all your work😊

[@pennguy20]

When the industry left, that’s when that sense of community and Oil City died. There are glimmers of hope of a comeback, but not anywhere close to its heyday. Grew up not far from Oil City, which breaks my heart to see the town struggling.

[@zabisgarden]

Yeah, I think it'd be interesting to do some interviews with different people you come across. You could try it. I like just watching these but I appreciate the written captions on some pages so I think it might be a good thing. :) Thanks for these. It really makes you think.

[@docpalazola491]

I knew a couple folks from Oil City...years ago it was a really nice town. Not so much anymore.

[@c.l.9344]

This town has so much and potential. With the right investors, job creation and leadership it could be great again. Great content, love the camera work.

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@joananthony6323]

I agree Of all the declining towns I've seen in these videos this is one that has the most potential It still has nice buildings including houses, seems quiet and peaceful and diverse Roads with on street parking and some stores still surviving and within walking distance It just takes some imagination and cash (which the Infrastructure Bill was supposed to provide for this very reason)

[@1940limited]

Oil City: The name speaks for itself.Oil: Black gold. How did his happen to such a place? I've never been there, but knew about the city and wondered how it's doing, figuring it's probably in decline. You answered a lot of my questions. What a shame. They sure keep the churches up nicely. How do they do it? Despite the poverty level, some homes are nicely kept. Sidewalks are totally devoid of people. It seems like everyone's gone to the moon.

[@hoodsnhollers]

There's definitely some well kept areas, churches, older historic buildings, most of that is in the downtown area. Outside of that it gets fairly run down. I was really bummed to see the oil silo's looking like they are, when I visited there decades ago they had the company logo's on them and looked so cool.

[@1940limited]

@@hoodsnhollers I don't know how you can go wrong with oil, but they did.

[@AndrewAMartin]

@@1940limited Oil has always been a boom-and-bust business. Don't know if there's still oil in Western PA, but if so it's likely more expensive to extract than other places.

[@brucekilby9957]

Hoodsnhollers. I enjoy the silence as well Thank you for the filming.Its interesting to see such old towns still diverse and sad in parts.Oil City must have been so busy.🇺🇲🏚

[@goldiegirl4200]

When I was a teen Oil City was crazy busy. and it was hard to get around the city. So many one -way streets and the town was built on a hill, that was crazy. My teen years were in Franklin not too far away. This was back in 1979 though I did not stay left PA 1984 not too many opportunities. If there was a town ordinance in place that states how the owner's property has to look. such as the lawn can not be overgrown, the house, and or Traylor apt can not look run down. You would get a warning in the mail to fix what was wrong if you didn't it would be a fine.

[@johnmartin7182]

awesome content big fan 100 percent of channel

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thank you John!

[@michaellehmbeck8671]

Thank you so much Hoods N Hollers for uploading this great video, I appreciate it!

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@MikeFoster-ty3tj]

My wife and I livid in OC about 50 years ago. It was a nice place then. There were plenty of good jobs with the oil refineries and Oil City glass. There was Wolfs Head in Reno. All is gone now, very very sad.😪

[@saltyturtle1051]

That is my home town. Sad to see it in such ruin. I do like how recent this is though.

[@markstrouse3101]

Great great video as always. It's a crying shame what is happening to our once great cities.

[@LauraKnotek]

Yes, I'd love to hear some interviews.

[@cryznails]

Very interesting . I would love it if u filmed more cities in mercer county ❤

[@dawnroberts-qi7zo]

I'm from this area. I grew up in Franklin Pa but have lived in the OC area also. It's had deplorable areas all my life and I'm 52 years old

[@ANYHOO0]

If you do interviews please put them at the end so we still get silent tours.❤

[@hoodsnhollers]

No worries, if I do decide to do them at a later point it'll be only be certain areas and done different than normal.

[@LauraKnotek]

@@hoodsnhollers That's how I'd like them.

[@rogerb5615]

That fence @ 4:10 ia downright creepy. And YES, please add interviews if you feel safe doing them.

[@bob-the-Millwright]

My family and I left that area almost 30 years ago, I remember this area so busy everyday. worked in Rouseville at the refinery a short time, now it is gone the glass plant, Continental Can both gone.

[@1968cbell]

My fathers family, my great-grandparents were a prominent oil industrialist in Oil City and Franklin providing oil to the Rockefeller family. My family had 1000 acres of land with 400 oil wells in the mid to late 1800s in Oil City.

[@laretdenton9768]

No interviews please stay in your vehicle and be safe .

[@don55s]

All of your videos are outstanding. Stay at it. I'm glad I ran into you.

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thank you so much for watching!

[@mayavenuemisfit814]

Oil City, Franklin, Titusville... all suffering from the same ills.

[@davidskidmore6768]

I suppose you could do a interview now and again, personally I "like" the eerie feeling of video.

[@rosemariealaba3384]

Nice views pennyslvania and quiet scenery. The house n church beautiful .greetings from Philippines

[@markfrench8892]

It's such a pity. It's a picturesque town. Nothing lasts forever I guess.

[@lol_05.76]

How about showing a map where each featured town or city is located... that way we won't have to use Google Maps..js!

[@jamesspinks7534]

Love your channel. You should go to Orlando, WV and Tazewell/Cedar Bluff VA. Would love to see those places!

[@bethsmith5827]

I grew up in venango county and agree that the drugs are out of control.

[@blueamenaa749]

Hi from france. Its so sad, this town looks beautiful.

[@truthadvocacy]

Small towns in France look poorer but are still well kept and populated.

[@Ton_____]

Original OC resident here, here's a (kind of forgotten) quote from my father on why the town is like that. "There was a time when the town was good and you could do anything, then the oil companies left (to texas) and it went downhill"

[@johnmurphy5466]

I go fishing up there... My family and I stay at the quality inn right downtown. It is a very clean town. Reminds me of that television show Mayberry.... It has everything a small-town would need. The courthouse is right up the street...

[@PlayThroughTheGame]

this place has beautiful structures.

[@rootdoc1997]

Oil City not too bad, I went to college at Allegheny in Meadville not far away and grew up in New Brighton PA. Great video it is funny how all these Western PA small towns the same, some nice areas and some rundown areas. Still good people living there though but still glad I moved to FL 28 years ago

[@elenamadeinsiber1973]

Ой, как мне нравится с вами ехать по Америке. ...❤❤❤

[@millanjean-michel3817]

Pennsylvania ❤

[@henrytroll3439]

Oh, I'd say. I guess the rust belt is getting rustier. Interviewing people would be great, but not making it too long

[@johnkaczinski468]

Skip the interviews. The video with your subtitle text allows one to observe without distraction.

[@supercuda1950]

I was was last there over 30 years ago racing r/c Monster Trucks. Oil City was my favorite place. Sad to see once the oil left, everything declined!

[@kendym6060]

Our city looks so bad 😣 I've watched places getting torn down the only hotel in town is shut down and is to be torn down sometime either this year or next year tons of houses are condemned I've lived here for23 years since I was born and raised here some places that looks like forest actually had homes some places either caught on fire or isn't liveable anymore you see tons of condemned signs on houses now I'd do an interview

[@Pstanich]

What are those notices on the front doors of homes

[@ncapone87]

Probably condemned notices

[@Hardworking_Trucker]

Either condemned or foreclosure notices…..

[@JoJo-ie8sl]

Any one know the story about the creepy doll fence at 4:15?

[@cherylsavone6551]

Hello , I’m new to your channel. I knew our country was in great decline but how sad. Philadelphia is horrible. Thanks for your great videos.

[@hoodsnhollers]

thanks so much for watching!

[@deirdrehottinger1224]

Parts of Philly are still vibrant & safe. It’s not all Kensington & crime.

[@thejudgmentalcat]

It's the same story with these cities and towns...jobs leave, poverty hits with all its inherent evils...downtown looks alot like Marshall, Michigan (touristy) but the other areas belie this cutesy image 😢

[@lindakloran3247]

Interviews would be interesting as long as the people could give truthful accounts.

[@jimfesta8981]

I lived in Bradford, PA not too far away from Oil City and saw the same thing happen there. The oil boom days were long past and unrelated industry eventually abandoned the town. The population reduction was exactly the same as Oil City.

[@hoodsnhollers]

ill have bradford up soon!

[@lindapietrasz8070]

Thanks!

[@hoodsnhollers]

Thanks so much Linda!!

[@Hardworking_Trucker]

Used to live in Oil City back all through the 80s into the mid 1990s. I’m not surprised at the decline unfortunately once the Oil dried up in the late 70’s to early 80’s the town went downhill FAST. Qualerstate moved its corporate offices from down town in the early 90s and that was all she wrote. The first church on the Main Street was St Stepehens which looks hella run down from the last time I saw it in 94 or 95. The second church is St Joseph’s which sits on top of north side hill. St. Joseph’s looks just as I remembered it hasn’t changed a bit. Once the oil dried up the town had nothing more to offer the world economy it seems except tourism and the sorta special niche I guess…..

[@michaelj.richards]

You ought to film McKeesport, PA and Fairmount Cincinnati, OH

[@hoodsnhollers]

I did! They’re uploaded on the channel check ‘em out!

[@bethsmith5827]

I was baptized at the big red church in your video (St. Joseph’s)

[@amgear2018]

Love living in oil city, no traffic and have the woods all to myself for mountain biking and hiking! Anytime we want to go to civilization we day trip to Pittsburgh and by the end of the day already missing quiet oil city.

[@Fizbin32111]

Oil's well that ends well.

[@Kevin-fq4hf]

I was just there last weekend. Downtown did not look too bad. But it was Sunday so a lot of places were closed

[@marylapoma9221]

Thank you for showing reality. Main steam hides it. Thanks again great digital soldier.👍

[@tylilgriggs281]

If you ever take a hike in the mountains you see old oil machines and equipment from the early 1900s

[@Imnotyourdoormat]

Francis S. Gabreski.....

[@Masamune84]

Grew up in this town, sad about the decline over the years and a prime example of what happens when you put all your eggs in one basket

[@bradpeterson7957]

I'm down the road in Franklin. These areas are all horrible. Bars, gas stations, and pizza places. That's about it. 9 times out of 10 the pizza isn't even any good! Nothing for kids to do. No more theatre in cranberry. The mall is on it's last legs. Dandy's mini golf is gone. Walmart is pretty much your only choice if you need anything. Terrible.

[@JohnMiller-oz7gv]

I worked there 30 years ago. It looked different then, then everything did.

[@sean8470]

being poor in this area is a way of life

[@im2hastyle]

My family lived here in the early 80s. I still want to visit here someday and visit my grandmother's grave. All I know is that a Catholic church here sponsored my family. So I owe my life to this small town. I would love to see my grandma's house and possibly buy it. She had no next of kin though so its going to be very hard to find.

[@lindapietrasz8070]

At 4:05 whaaa?

[@hoodsnhollers]

I know right! That was unexpected lol

[@rbsmith3365]

Sad! They better pack up and move to Scranton.

[@Hardworking_Trucker]

Scranton is no better lol

[@nelson466]

Where are those people who used to live in these houses?

[@sportster16301]

Unfortunately St. Stephen church is closed and crumbling apart.

[@snowbound4913]

2:10 Saint Stephen Church had the most prominent impact growing up in oil city, RIP Father Matthew

[@Enemiesexposed]

What happened to the world?

[@gabe5946]

I like the silence of your videos, if ya start doing interviews it will get into politics more, my 2 cents 😊

[@JouJouMaMaDolls]

Many places are having to reinvent themselves. Oil City is one of them.

[@sukanjanas.1059]

👍🇹🇭

[@tylilgriggs281]

still looks the same after 20+ years

[@Lisa-sz8ms]

Doastoryongreenville