14 Then And Now Photos Of This Legendary Pennsylvania Ghost Town That Will Leave You In Awe
By Beth Price-Williams|Published September 04, 2017
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Stroll along grassy trails and listen for the whispers of history. For an oh-so-brief period, the grassy area was once home to one of the fastest growing towns in Pennsylvania. Today, it is a ghost town with visitors passing through to imagine what once was and to visit the onsite Visitors Center. Have you heard the story of this legendary Pennsylvania ghost town?
Pithole City burst onto the scene as a brand new town in Venango County in 1865 and would quickly become one of the most successful, busiest towns in Pennsylvania. But, the happy story would be short lived.
Not long after the Grant Well hit oil, the Pool Well hit pay dirt, producing more than 1,000 barrels of oil each day. Despite all of the oil that was produced, Pithole faced insurmountable obstacles.
Fire ripped through the town an estimated 17 times, resulting in millions of dollars in damage. At the same time, oil workers left Pithole to help build oil pipelines in other areas as the town's oil wells began to dry.
By the end of 1866, Pithole's fate appeared sealed. The once vibrant town of 15,000 now languished with only 2,000 residents as the town's oil wells produced well below 1,000 barrels a day.
Stop by the Pithole Visitors Center and view a model of Pithole in its heyday. Guests can also join a guided tour that includes replicas of the A.J. Christy Drugstore and the Post Office.
Have you ever visited this Pennsylvania ghost town? If ghost towns intrigue you, embark on this road trip through some of Pennsylvania’s most storied ghost towns.
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