Venango County, Pennsylvania
Venango County | |
---|---|
UTC−4 (EDT) | |
Congressional districts | 15th, 16th |
Website | www |
Venango County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 50,454.[1] Its county seat is Franklin.[2] The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1805.[3] The county is part of the Northwest Pennsylvania region of the state.[a]
Venango County comprises the Oil City, PA micropolitan statistical area. It is part of the Pittsburgh and Erie media markets (with Erie channels available to Comcast subscribers in the area).
History
Shortly afterward, Rogers met oil pioneer Charles Pratt, who purchased the entire output of the tiny Wamsutta Oil Refinery. In 1867, Rogers joined Pratt in forming Charles Pratt and Company, which was purchased by Standard Oil in 1874. Rogers became one of the key men in John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil Trust. Venango County was created on March 12, 1800, from parts of Allegheny and Lycoming Counties. The name "Venango" is derived from the Native American name of the region, Onenge, meaning Otter. This was corrupted in English as the Venango River.[4] The settlement at its mouth was likewise called Venango, which since March 3, 1871, has been the South Side of Oil City.
Venango County was home to an oil boom in the years following discovery of natural oil (petroleum) in the mid-1850s.
After joining Standard Oil, Rogers invested heavily in various industries, including copper, steel, mining, and railways. The Virginian Railway is widely considered his final life's achievement. Rogers amassed a great fortune, estimated at over $100 million, and became one of the wealthiest men in the United States. He was also a generous philanthropist, providing many public works for his hometown of Fairhaven, Massachusetts, and financially assisting helping such notables as Mark Twain, Helen Keller, and Dr. Booker T. Washington.
Perhaps in one of history's ironies, another resident of Venango County about the same time as Henry and Abbie Rogers was a little girl named
The oil heritage of Venango County is commemorated by a Pennsylvania State Park and many heritage sites which help tell the story and memorialize the people of the oil boom of the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Geography
According to the
Adjacent counties
- Crawford County (northwest)
- Warren County (north)
- Forest County (northeast)
- Clarion County (east)
- Butler County (south)
- Mercer County (west)
Demographics
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1800 | 1,130 | — | |
1810 | 3,060 | 170.8% | |
1820 | 4,915 | 60.6% | |
1830 | 9,470 | 92.7% | |
1840 | 17,900 | 89.0% | |
1850 | 18,310 | 2.3% | |
1860 | 25,043 | 36.8% | |
1870 | 47,925 | 91.4% | |
1880 | 43,670 | −8.9% | |
1890 | 46,640 | 6.8% | |
1900 | 49,648 | 6.4% | |
1910 | 56,359 | 13.5% | |
1920 | 59,184 | 5.0% | |
1930 | 63,226 | 6.8% | |
1940 | 63,958 | 1.2% | |
1950 | 65,328 | 2.1% | |
1960 | 65,295 | −0.1% | |
1970 | 62,353 | −4.5% | |
1980 | 64,444 | 3.4% | |
1990 | 59,381 | −7.9% | |
2000 | 57,555 | −3.1% | |
2010 | 54,984 | −4.5% | |
2020 | 50,454 | −8.2% | |
U.S. Decennial Census[8] 1790–1960[9] 1900–1990[10] 1990–2000[11] 2010–2017[12] |
As of the census
There were 22,747 households, out of which 30.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.80% were married couples living together, 9.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.00% were non-families. 26.20% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 2.93.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.20% under the age of 18, 7.20% from 18 to 24, 26.70% from 25 to 44, 25.10% from 45 to 64, and 16.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 95.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.10 males.
2020 census
Race | Num. | Perc. |
---|---|---|
White (NH)
|
47,117 | 93.4% |
Black or African American (NH)
|
434 | 0.86% |
Native American (NH)
|
68 | 0.13% |
Asian (NH)
|
172 | 0.34% |
Pacific Islander (NH)
|
10 | 0.02% |
Other/Mixed (NH)
|
2,076 | 4.11% |
Latino
|
577 | 1.14% |
Micropolitan Statistical Area
The
Law and government
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2020 | 18,569 | 69.81% | 7,585 | 28.51% | 447 | 1.68% |
2016 | 16,021 | 68.09% | 6,309 | 26.81% | 1,200 | 5.10% |
2012 | 13,815 | 62.07% | 7,945 | 35.70% | 497 | 2.23% |
2008 | 13,718 | 58.42% | 9,238 | 39.34% | 525 | 2.24% |
2004 | 14,472 | 61.17% | 9,024 | 38.14% | 163 | 0.69% |
2000 | 11,642 | 56.68% | 8,196 | 39.90% | 703 | 3.42% |
1996 | 8,398 | 42.96% | 8,205 | 41.97% | 2,946 | 15.07% |
1992 | 8,545 | 39.64% | 8,230 | 38.18% | 4,779 | 22.17% |
1988 | 11,468 | 56.60% | 8,624 | 42.56% | 171 | 0.84% |
1984 | 13,507 | 59.44% | 9,114 | 40.11% | 104 | 0.46% |
1980 | 11,547 | 56.04% | 7,800 | 37.86% | 1,257 | 6.10% |
1976 | 12,270 | 57.58% | 8,653 | 40.60% | 388 | 1.82% |
1972 | 13,991 | 67.28% | 6,302 | 30.31% | 501 | 2.41% |
1968 | 12,323 | 56.14% | 8,319 | 37.90% | 1,307 | 5.95% |
1964 | 9,873 | 42.89% | 13,065 | 56.75% | 84 | 0.36% |
1960 | 17,193 | 68.01% | 8,064 | 31.90% | 23 | 0.09% |
1956 | 17,107 | 75.31% | 5,594 | 24.63% | 14 | 0.06% |
1952 | 17,006 | 72.16% | 6,356 | 26.97% | 204 | 0.87% |
1948 | 11,920 | 67.97% | 5,144 | 29.33% | 472 | 2.69% |
1944 | 14,916 | 68.91% | 6,426 | 29.69% | 304 | 1.40% |
1940 | 17,728 | 71.90% | 6,873 | 27.87% | 57 | 0.23% |
1936 | 17,676 | 64.12% | 9,212 | 33.42% | 677 | 2.46% |
1932 | 12,230 | 64.07% | 6,174 | 32.34% | 684 | 3.58% |
1928 | 17,450 | 79.00% | 4,531 | 20.51% | 108 | 0.49% |
1924 | 10,841 | 74.29% | 1,886 | 12.92% | 1,865 | 12.78% |
1920 | 7,718 | 65.71% | 2,669 | 22.72% | 1,359 | 11.57% |
1916 | 3,856 | 40.98% | 3,938 | 41.85% | 1,616 | 17.17% |
1912 | 1,660 | 18.26% | 2,507 | 27.57% | 4,925 | 54.17% |
1908 | 4,868 | 49.73% | 2,815 | 28.76% | 2,105 | 21.51% |
1904 | 5,892 | 57.33% | 1,747 | 17.00% | 2,639 | 25.68% |
1900 | 5,931 | 52.75% | 4,014 | 35.70% | 1,299 | 11.55% |
1896 | 5,133 | 49.82% | 4,599 | 44.63% | 572 | 5.55% |
1892 | 4,099 | 49.31% | 3,288 | 39.55% | 926 | 11.14% |
1888 | 4,424 | 50.49% | 3,475 | 39.66% | 863 | 9.85% |
Venango County has long been predominantly Republican. Only twice since the Civil War has the county selected a Democratic presidential candidate, and only Lyndon B. Johnson in his 1964 landslide has gained an absolute majority for the Democratic Party. In 1984, Venango County actually voted fractionally more Democratic than the nation at-large due to hostility towards Reaganomics in industrial districts, and in the 1992 and 1996 elections it came within two points and one point, respectively of voting for Democrat Bill Clinton, but by 2016 Donald Trump had gained 68.1 percent to Hillary Clinton's 26.8 percent – figures which were long typical of the county.
Voter Registration
As of February 21, 2022, there are 32,319 registered voters in Venango County [19]
- Democratic: 9,181 (28.41%)
- Republican: 18,864 (58.37%)
- Independent: 2,868 (8.87%)
- Third Party: 1,406 (4.35%)
County commissioners
- Samuel H. Breene (Republican)
- Ken Bryan (Republican)
- Albert Abramovic (Democrat)
State Senate[20]
State House of Representatives[20]
United States House of Representatives
- G.T. Thompson, Republican, Pennsylvania's 15th congressional district
- Mike Kelly, Republican, Pennsylvania's 16th Congressional District
United States Senate
Economy
Major employers
- Joy Mining Machinery
- Pennzoil
- Quaker State
- UPMC Northwest
- Komatsu
Pennzoil and Quaker State left the Venango area for Texas. After leaving the area they merged and stopped refining oil. They now concentrate on retail oil and automotive additives produced for them by other companies. As of 2007, the two companies only exist as brand names after the company disappeared because of successive mergers.
With global crude oil prices touching US$100 in early 2008, long-dormant interest reawakened in Venango County's remaining oil reserves, 70% undrilled by one estimate. High prices make less accessible oil deposits worth extracting. For instance, a Canadian firm proposed drilling several large mines and allowing oil to flood the tunnels.[21]
Education
Public school districts
- Cranberry Area School District
- Franklin Area School District
- Oil City Area School District
- Valley Grove School District
Partial districts
These public school districts are only partially in Venango County:
- Allegheny-Clarion Valley School District
- Forest Area School District
- Penncrest School District
- Titusville Area School District
Colleges and universities
- Clarion University, Venango Campus
- Dubois Business College(closed 2016)
- Penn State University Venango County Co-Op Extension
Transportation
Airport
Major highways
Recreation
Pennsylvania State Parks and Forests
Attractions and tourism
- DeBence Antique Music World
- Oil Region Astronomical Observatory
- Franklin Silver Cornet Band
- Oil Valley Film Festival
- Franklin Public Library. The Franklin Public Library was founded in 1894 and has had several homes, although its current location on Twelfth Street in Franklin, Venango County, PA has been its home since 1921. The original structure on Twelfth Street was built in 1849 as a residence and required extensive renovations in 1921 to make it suitable for library use.
Communities
Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Venango County:
Cities
- Franklin(county seat)
- Oil City
Boroughs
Townships
Census-designated places
Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well.
Unincorporated communities
Population ranking
The population ranking of the following table is based on the
† county seat
Rank | City/Town/etc. | Municipal type | Population (2018 Census) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Oil City | City | 9,897 |
2. | Cranberry | Township | 6,789 |
3 | † Franklin | City | 6,231 |
4 | Sugar Creek
|
Borough | 5,008 |
5. | Cornplanter
|
Township | 2,316 |
6 | Hasson Heights | CDP | 1,437 |
7 | Woodland Heights | CDP | 1,726 |
8 | Cherrytree | Township | 1,378 |
9 | Seneca | CDP | 1,289 |
10 | Pleasantville | Borough | 887 |
11 | Polk | Borough | 826 |
12 | Emlenton (partially in Clarion County) | Borough | 625 |
13 | Rouseville | Borough | 523 |
14 | Clintonville | Borough | 508 |
15 | Cooperstown | Borough | 460 |
16 | Kennerdell | CDP | 247 |
17 | Barkeyville | Borough | 207 |
18 | Utica | Borough | 189 |
19 | Hannasville | CDP | 176 |
Notable people
- Orrin Dubbs Bleakley
- Cornplanter
- William Holmes Crosby Jr.
- Hildegarde Dolson
- Frank Evans
- Gabby Gabreski
- Leon H. Gavin
- Alexander Hays
- Kathryn Kuhlman
- Judge Robert Lamberton
- Ted Marchibroda
- Jesse L. Reno
- George C. Rickards
- Henry H. Rogers
- Joseph Sibley
- Peter Moore Speer
- Ida M. Tarbell
- John Wesley Van Dyke
- Mike Pompeo
See also
- Oil Creek Library District
- Oil Region
References
- ^ Includes Erie, Mercer, Crawford and Venango Counties
- ^ "Census - Geography Profile: Venango County, Pennsylvania". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved December 18, 2022.
- ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ^ "Pennsylvania: Individual County Chronologies". Pennsylvania Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2008. Archived from the original on March 25, 2015. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
- ^ Donehoo, George (1995). "French Creek". Indian Villages and Place Names in Pennsylvania. Gateway Press. Retrieved January 24, 2007.
- ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "About the Appalachian Region". Appalachian Regional Commission. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
- ^ Woodard, Colin. "The Maps That Show That City vs. Country Is Not Our Political Fault Line". New York Times. Retrieved July 30, 2018.
- ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (March 24, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved March 11, 2015.
- ^ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ^ "P2 HISPANIC OR LATINO, AND NOT HISPANIC OR LATINO BY RACE – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Venango County, Pennsylvania".
- ^ "Office of Management and Budget – The White House". Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ "Businesses that Received Forms in 2012: Pennsylvania - U.S. Census Bureau". Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved December 7, 2017.
- ^ a b CNMP, US Census Bureau. "This site has been redesigned and relocated. – U.S. Census Bureau". census.gov. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved November 29, 2018.
- ^ "Voter Registration Statistics by county". dos.pa.gov. February 23, 2022.
- ^ a b Center, Legislativate Data Processing. "Find Your Legislator". The official website for the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Retrieved May 9, 2017.
- ^ "As Oil Prices Soar, Prospectors Return to Pennsylvania". The Wall Street Journal. February 19, 2008. Archived from the original on February 28, 2008. Retrieved February 25, 2008.
- ^ "Siverly Populated Place Profile / Venango County, Pennsylvania Data". pennsylvania.hometownlocator.com. Retrieved November 29, 2018.