PA Historic Places

Exploring the Ghost Town of Pithole in Venango County

A collage of four photos taken at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA. The top left image shows the entrance sign to Historic Pithole City with the visitor center in the background. The top right image is a historic black-and-white photo depicting a bustling street scene with various businesses and people, including a drugstore and the Metropolitan Hotel. The bottom left image features a present-day grassy path at the intersection of First and Brown Streets, marked by a wooden signpost amidst tall vegetation. The bottom right image is a historical marker describing Pithole’s history, including details about its rapid rise to a population of 15,000 in 1865 due to the oil boom.

If you’re looking for information about visiting the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, you’re in the right place!

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Pithole City 1865-1877," which describes the rapid development and decline of this oil boomtown. The text details how the discovery of oil at the Frazier Well in January 1865 led to a surge in population, with 15,000 people arriving by September. It mentions the construction of 57 hotels, boarding houses, theaters, banks, a daily newspaper, and a busy post office. The sign also explains how a pipeline was built to transport oil to Miller Farm, but as oil production dwindled, people left, leaving behind only grassy streets and cellar holes. Two historical photographs show scenes of Pithole, including the corner of Holmden and First Streets during its peak and as it appears today.

Pithole, a once-thriving oil boomtown, rose to prominence almost overnight in the mid-1860s and disappeared just as quickly.

A historical black-and-white photograph showing a street scene from the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, during its peak as an oil boomtown. The unpaved street is muddy, and wooden buildings line both sides, including various storefronts and a visible saloon sign. Several people and horses are present along the street, giving a glimpse into the bustling yet rough and rugged atmosphere that characterized Pithole during the 1860s. The image captures the sense of rapid construction and development typical of boomtowns of that era.

Now, all that remains of this bustling city is a ghost town of paths mowed through the forest and fields, allowing Nature to reclaim what was once hers.

A mowed grassy path marks the former route of Holmden Street at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, now surrounded by trees and vegetation. A wooden post labeled "Holmden St" stands at the edge of the path, indicating where the bustling street once existed. The scene is tranquil, with tall trees lining the pathway and patches of sunlight filtering through the leaves, offering a stark contrast to the once-busy thoroughfare that was the heart of this oil boomtown. Interpretive signs can be seen in the distance, providing historical context for visitors.

Walking through Pithole today, it’s hard to imagine that this quiet and reabsorbed landscape was once home to over 15,000 hopeful souls during the height of the oil boom.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Pithole City Booms," detailing the rapid development of the town in 1865. The sign explains how Duncan and Prather purchased the Holmden farm for $100,000 and leased lots to form Pithole City, with a population that quickly grew to 15,000 by the end of the year. It notes that only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh handled more mail than the Pithole Post Office during that time. The sign also mentions the scarcity of clean water, leading to whiskey being a safer drink. An old map of the town is displayed on the right side, and a sepia-toned photograph of oil derricks and buildings from Pithole’s peak period appears in the bottom left corner.

Directions | Hours | Admission Fees

The Pithole historic site is located at 14118 Pithole Road, Pleasantville, PA 16341.

The hours of operation for the Visitor Center are June through August on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

A close-up photo of a sign posted at the Pithole Visitor Center in the ghost town of Pithole, Venango County, PA, indicating the center's hours of operation. The sign reads that the center is open in June, July, and August from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays. The sign also provides a website link to drakewell.org for more information. The sign is framed by a yellow window, with a reflection of the outdoor area visible on the glass.

The outside grounds at Pithole are open from dawn to dusk year-round.

A grassy path representing a former street at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, now surrounded by tall grasses and wildflowers. The scene is framed by trees in the background, under a bright blue sky with scattered clouds. The tranquil setting contrasts with the once-bustling activity of this historic oil boomtown, showcasing how nature has reclaimed the land over time.

Admission fees to the Visitor Center are: Adults: $5 | Youth (ages 3-11): $3 | Children ages 2 and under: Free.

The entrance sign for the Historic Pithole City in Venango County, PA, welcoming visitors to the ghost town. The sign features an old photograph of the Danforth House and includes information indicating that the site is managed by the Drake Well Museum and Park. Below, another sign shows that the location is a state historic site administered by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission. In the background, the modern Visitor Center building can be seen, along with a parked red truck, surrounded by trees and a clear blue sky.

What You’ll See at the Pithole Historic Site

The Pithole Visitor Center, established in 1975, serves as a gateway to understanding the fascinating yet fleeting history of this forgotten town.

The Pithole Visitor Center at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, featuring a modern, angular building with large wooden panels and glass windows. The center sits in a well-maintained area with a concrete parking lot in the foreground, including accessible parking spaces. A red pickup truck is parked on the gravel section to the right, and greenery surrounds the building, adding to the serene atmosphere of the historic site. The clear blue sky and trees in the background create a picturesque setting for visitors exploring the history of Pithole.

Inside, a large diorama provides an intricate look at Pithole in its heyday, complete with over 200 miniature buildings, streets, and around 500 figures that bring the town’s vibrant past to life.

A detailed scale model of the ghost town of Pithole, displayed at the Visitor Center in Venango County, PA, showing the layout of streets, buildings, and wooded areas as they would have appeared during the town's peak in the mid-1860s. The model provides a bird's-eye view of the densely packed structures, offering insight into the bustling nature of this once-thriving oil boomtown. Large windows in the background allow natural light to illuminate the intricate details of the miniature town.

Visitors can explore exhibits filled with artifacts and detailed displays, while a short film offers insight into Pithole’s rapid rise and fall.

The interior of the Pithole Visitor Center at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, featuring various oil drilling tools and equipment hanging on a wooden display structure. A list of tool names is mounted on an orange board, while informational diagrams and a historic photo of the oil boomtown are displayed in the background. The visitor center has wooden walls and ceiling, creating a rustic atmosphere, with chairs and an information desk visible to the right. The scene captures an educational exhibit about Pithole's oil history.

Additionally, the nearby Drake Well Museum houses some artifacts from Pithole and even features a replica of the Grant Well office that once stood in the boomtown.

An archaeology exhibit from the ghost town of Pithole displayed at the Drake Well Museum, showcasing artifacts excavated from the former oil boomtown. The display includes various items such as glass bottles, a bell, spoons, forks, a wooden handle, a metal gear, and an open ledger book with handwritten entries. A sign titled "Pithole Archaeology" explains that archaeologists excavated the site from 1969 to 1971 to learn about the health, diets, occupations, and pastimes of Pithole's residents. The exhibit offers a glimpse into the daily life and history of the people who once lived in this vanished town.

Visiting both museums (which I recommend) helps you understand the importance of Pithole in the context of the broader region’s oil heritage.

Exterior of the replica "Office of the Grant Well" building, located at the Drake Well Museum near the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA. The small, rustic wooden structure has two windows and a door on the front, with a sign above reading "Office of the Grant Well." The surrounding area features tall trees and greenery, creating a historic and natural setting.

Outside Exhibits at Pithole

Stepping outside the Visitor Center and onto the mowed paths, you walk along what were once some of the busiest streets in Pennsylvania.

A mowed grassy path at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, showing the intersection of two former streets that once existed in the bustling oil boomtown. The path is surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers, with trees lining the area and a view of distant hills and greenery in the background. The scene captures the peacefulness and natural beauty that now define this historic site, contrasting with the town's once-busy streets.

Interpretive signs mark where the city’s grand hotels, saloons, and businesses stood, allowing you to visualize the sights and sounds of a town that buzzed with activity.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "A City of Hotels," featuring information about the Danforth House, one of the town's prominent hotels during the oil boom. The sign includes a historical photograph of the Danforth House, showing a large building with a wraparound porch and people gathered outside. The accompanying text describes how the hotel, located at the corner of Holmden and First Streets, was built for $40,000 and operated around the clock to serve the influx of visitors. After the oil boom faded, the Danforth House was dismantled and sold as firewood for just $16. An old advertisement for the Danforth House from the Pithole City Business Directory of 1865-66 is also included.

The ground beneath your feet once held a foundry and machine shop, the third-busiest post office in the state, and banks that managed tens of thousands of dollars in transactions daily.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Third Largest Post Office in Pennsylvania," detailing the history of the Pithole post office located at 104 Holmden Street. The text explains that the post office ranked third in the state for mail volume between September 1865 and February 1866, behind only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The sign includes a photograph of Daniel W. Bailey, who served as Pithole's second postmaster from 1868 to 1873, after serving as Captain in the 78th U.S. Colored Troops in Louisiana. Additional images on the sign include a letter sent from Pithole City and a newspaper clipping from the Pithole Daily Record in 1866, showing mail schedules and post office hours. The display provides insight into the significant role the post office played during Pithole's brief boom period.

However, Pithole’s collapse was as dramatic as its rise.

A historical black-and-white photograph of a bustling street scene from the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, showing various businesses and a crowd of people. Prominent buildings include the Metropolitan Hotel, Empire Store, and Christy's Drug Store. Several men are gathered in the street, while others are seen standing on the wooden sidewalks. Signs advertise services such as conveyancing and the sale of oil leases, highlighting the town's peak period as an oil boomtown. The unpaved street and wooden structures capture the atmosphere of the 1860s era.

In March 1866, a series of bank failures triggered a financial panic throughout the oil region, bursting the oil bubble and causing speculators and investors to pull out.

Interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Vanished Oil Boomtowns - Was Pithole Doomed?" The sign discusses the rapid rise and fall of Pithole as an oil boomtown, noting factors like destructive fires, population decline, and the shift to pipeline transportation. The sign includes two historic photos: one of Holmden Street in Pithole from 1865 and another showing equipment at Tarr Farm in 1864. The text explains how the population dropped from 15,000 to just 281 by 1870, leading to the town's eventual abandonment.

That same year, devastating fires wreaked havoc on the town, with the worst blaze on August 2 destroying several city blocks and 27 oil wells.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Pithole City Vanishes," detailing the rapid decline of the town. The text explains how declining oil production, destructive fires, inequitable lease terms, and competition from new oil fields led to Pithole's downfall. It mentions that 18 buildings burned on First Street in April 1866, and by 1870, the population had dwindled to 280 people. The sign also notes that land once valued at $2 million was sold for just $4.37 in 1878. Two black-and-white photographs accompany the text: one showing oil wells on fire in 1865, and the other depicting the abandoned remains of Pithole City around 1895. The sign concludes with the fact that James B. Stevenson donated 90 acres of the city to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1963, leading to the establishment of the Visitor Center in 1975.

As more profitable oil strikes emerged elsewhere in Venango County, Pithole’s population dwindled rapidly, dropping to just 2,000 by December 1866.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Boomed and Gone," describing the rapid rise and fall of Pithole as an oil boomtown. The text explains how the discovery of oil in January 1865 led to a sudden influx of people, resulting in the construction of over 50 hotels, stores, banks, and saloons, with about 380 wells producing around 6,000 barrels of oil daily. The sign further details how Pithole's decline began within a year due to depleted wells, fires, and the migration of residents to richer oil fields, eventually leaving the area as farmland once more. An old black-and-white photograph at the bottom shows Pithole City during its peak.

Many residents abandoned their homes or dismantled their businesses, leaving behind only memories and overgrown paths.

A wooden post marks the intersection of what were once First and Brown Streets at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, now surrounded by tall grass and wildflowers. The former streets are represented by a mowed path leading through a field, with trees and open sky in the background. The scene captures the peaceful and natural environment that has reclaimed this historic oil boomtown, offering a glimpse into how nature has transformed the once-bustling area into a serene landscape.

As you walk along these grassy trails today, it’s astonishing to think that just over a century and a half ago, thousands of people hustled through their daily lives here in search of fortune.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Holmden Street," describing the main street that once served as the hub of activity in the town. The text explains how Holmden Street was lined with banks, businesses, and hotels housed in wooden buildings that ranged from three-story painted facades to single-story, unpainted structures. It mentions that wooden planks were laid across the street to prevent pedestrians, horses, and wagons from getting stuck in the mud. Two black-and-white photographs accompany the text: one shows a bustling Holmden Street with people gathered along the sidewalks, while the other is the only known photograph depicting a horse stuck in the mud, highlighting the challenges of the muddy conditions.

Final Thoughts

Today, Pithole stands as a silent testament to the unpredictable nature of boom-and-bust economies.

A roadside historical marker at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, providing a brief history of the town. The sign states that Pithole was created in 1865 following the discovery of oil and rapidly grew to a city of 15,000 within a few months. It mentions that the center of the city was at the foot of the hill and that a reservoir stands just northwest of the marker. The sign also notes that the Methodist Church, the last building to be torn down, was located about 150 feet to the east. The marker is situated along a grassy roadside, with trees and a clear sky in the background.

While the town’s wooden structures have long since disappeared, the mowed paths and interpretive signs keep its story alive.

An interpretive sign at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, titled "Doctors and Drugstores," providing information about the medical professionals and pharmacies that served the community during its boom period. The sign highlights how Christy's Drug Store, established by pharmacist "Doc" Christy at 41 Holmden Street, was one of the first in town. By June 1866, Pithole had a population of 6,000, with 8 physicians remaining from the original 19 who practiced there. The sign also notes that 4 drugstores were listed in the Pithole City Directory from 1865-1866. A historical photograph shows a bustling street scene with people gathered in front of Christy's Drug Store and other businesses along the road.

Visiting Pithole offers a rare opportunity to connect with Pennsylvania’s rich oil history and to witness firsthand how swiftly Nature reclaims what mankind builds.

A wide, grassy field at the ghost town of Pithole in Venango County, PA, where the town once stood. The landscape is now covered in tall wildflowers and vegetation, with a dense line of trees in the background under a clear blue sky. This tranquil scene highlights how nature has completely reclaimed the area that was once a bustling oil boomtown.

Nearby Attractions

The Drake Well Museum in Venango County spans 240 acres and features both indoor and outdoor exhibits, including a meticulously crafted replica of Edwin Drake’s historic oil well, the world’s first successful oil well.

A collage of four photos taken at the Drake Well Museum and Park in Venango County, PA, showcasing various aspects of the museum. The top left image features a replica of the Drake Well, the historic site of the first successful oil well in the United States, set among tall trees in a park-like environment. The top right image shows an exhibit of a 1912 Hatfield truck prominently displaying Quaker State products, along with other vintage oil industry-related displays. The bottom left image highlights an exhibit titled "Western Pennsylvania Transformed the World," which details the impact of Pennsylvania's petroleum pioneers with portraits of key figures in the industry. The bottom right image captures a detailed diorama of oil derricks and drilling equipment, illustrating the early days of oil extraction and the development of the petroleum industry. Together, these images provide a comprehensive view of the museum's exhibits, which explore the history and significance of the oil industry in Pennsylvania and its global impact.

Riding the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad offers a scenic and historical journey through Pennsylvania’s Oil Creek Valley, offering a nostalgic glimpse into the birthplace of the American oil industry.

A collage depicting various scenes from the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad in Crawford County, Pennsylvania. The top-left image shows a maroon and yellow OC&T locomotive with an engineer standing on the front, giving a friendly wave. The top-right image captures passengers on a wooden platform observing the bright yellow locomotive approaching through a lush, green landscape. The bottom-left image features passengers, including a dog, standing on a wooden platform surrounded by dense forest, waiting near a train car. The bottom-right image shows a vintage passenger car with "Oil Creek & Titusville" and "Col. Edwin L. Drake" painted on its side, highlighting the historic charm of the excursion.

The Caboose Motel in Titusville (Crawford County), situated on a pair of tracks beside the Perry Street Station of the Oil Creek & Titusville Railroad, offers 21 renovated caboose cars, each outfitted with modern amenities for your comfort.

A collage showcasing various aspects of the Caboose Motel in Titusville, PA. The top left image features a bright red caboose with a sign for the motel, nestled among greenery. The top right image shows the interior of one of the cabooses, with a cozy bed, wooden paneling, and natural light streaming in from skylights. The bottom left image captures a row of colorful cabooses with a red truck parked in front, highlighting the motel's unique lodging experience. The bottom right image displays the motel office, a quaint building with a bench outside, an American flag waving, and the backdrop of a clear, sunny day.

Freedom Falls is a 20 foot tall waterfall in a remote section of Venango County.

Freedom Falls near Kennerdell in Venango County Pennsylvania

Tidioute Overlook in Warren County features a pair of easy-to-reach vistas offering views of the Allegheny River and the quaint town of Tidioute.

A collage of four photos taken at Tidioute Overlook in Warren County, Pennsylvania, within the Allegheny National Forest. The top left image features a scenic view of the Allegheny River, surrounded by lush green forested hills. The top right image shows the town of Tidioute nestled in a valley, with houses and farmland surrounded by rolling hills. The bottom left image captures the entrance sign to the Allegheny National Forest's picnic ground and overlook, with a peaceful road leading into the dense forest. The bottom right image provides a close-up of the Allegheny River winding through the verdant landscape, highlighting the natural beauty and tranquility of the area.

Find even more great destinations to explore all across Pennsylvania with the interactive PA Bucket List Travel Map!

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