This panoramic print of Titusville, Pennsylvania was drawn by Thaddeus Mortimer Fowler and published by T. M. Fowler & James B. Moyer in 1896. Titusville was established along Oil Creek in the early 1800's by Jonathan Titus. Logging of the forests along the creek began in the 1820's with timber being floated downstream towards the mills of Titusville.
In the mid-1800's oil was discovered throughout the hills surrounding Titusville. Titusville prospered with the industry, as speculators and miners poured into town. Titusville was a huge supply center for the numerous mining activities.
The first oil refinery established at Titusville was built by Parker, Abbott & Barnsdall Co. in the 1860's. The refinery produced both white and yellow illuminating oil. Several other refineries emerged including Brice & Co., established in 1864, Easterly & Davis, established in 1870, Rice, Robinson & Witherop, organized in 1874, Crescent Refining Co. started in 1880, and Oil Creek Refining Co, established in 1883. New York���s Acme Oil Company operated four of the refineries at Titusville and one of their pipelines was the target of a lightning bolt during a rainstorm in 1880 that lit up the sky as one refinery after another burst into flames. The fire lasted for three days destroying the iron suspension bridges at Franklin and Perry streets and much private property. Most of Titusville was spared major damage.
Titusville also housed many iron works, machine shops and fine furniture manufacturers during the oil and gas era. Titusville was incorporated as a borough in 1847 and earned city status in 1866. The map from 1896 includes labeled streets, bridges, buildings and railroad lines.
Features numbered & lettered references to the following locations: 1. City Building. 2. Opera House. 3. Public Schools. 4. St. Joseph���s Convent. 5. Gas Works. 6. Titusville Electric Light & Power Co. 7. Buffalo House. C. E. Moser, Proprietor. 8. The Titusville Iron Co. 9. The Titusville Iron Co. Radiator Works. 10. Keystone Brass & Iron Works. W. G. Abel, Proprietor. 11. Titusville City Mills. John Eason, Proprietor. 12. Queen City Tannery. Samuel G. Maxwell, Superintendent. 13. Cyclops Steel Works. Charles Burgess, Proprietor. 14. American Oil Works, Ltd. 15. Pure Oil Works (Foggan Works). 16. Oil Creek Refining Co. 17. Titusville Oil Works. 18. Climax Gasoline Co. 19. Pennsylvania Paraffin Works. 20. Titusville Barrel Factory. Geo. Stephens & Co. 21. City Brewery. F. Theabold, Proprietor. 22. Rice & Robinson Soap Co. 23. Specialty Mfg. Co. 24. Lumber Yard & Planing Mill. Daniel F. Reuting, Proprietor. 25. Titusville Furniture Factory. F. O. Swedborg, Proprietor. 26. Edgar Hale���s Lumber Yard & Mills. 27. Bull Wheel Factory. 28. Harris Machine Works. 29. Harris Oil & Grease Works. J. C. Harris, Proprietor. 30. Castle & Co. Carriage Factory. 31. W. N. Y. & P. R. R. Station. 32. D. A. V. & P. R. R. Station. A. Presbyterian Church. B. Baptist Church. C. Episcopal Church. D. St. Titus Catholic Church. E. St. Walburga Catholic Church. F. Reformed Church. G. M. E. Church. H. Universalist Church. I. Swede Lutheran Church. J. Free Methodist Church. K. B���nai Zion Church. L. B���nai Gemiluth Church. M. Swede Congregational Church. N. Trinity A. M. E. Church. |