Venango County’s iron industry thrived decades before the oil boom. From Crary’s Furnace to river shipments bound for Pittsburgh, iron helped shape the county’s economy, workforce, and industrial identity.

Venango County’s oil boom did more than fuel the industry—it brought the railroads that powered the region’s growth. From bustling depots in Oil City to rural stops across the county, trains carried people, goods, and opportunity through the heart of the Oil Region.