# Travel >> Destinations >> North America

Old Houses and Tourist Attractions in Titusville, Pennsylvania

In 1859, Edwin Drake struck oil in the Titusville area using the world's first oil well. The town of Titusville attracted oil investors and a booming railroad industry. The town's wealthy citizens left an architectural legacy with their private homes and commercial buildings. Titusville's Historic District is in the north-central part of town. The district was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. Many of the homes have been converted to other businesses or are not open to the public, but the town encourages visitors to take a walking or driving tour to look at the facades. Many of the famous homes are located along West Main Street.

Scheide Home
- Built in 1864, the Scheide Home is a Queen Anne-style residence that features a slate roof with multiple gables. John Scheide's personal library collection was donated to Princeton and the Drake Well Museum Research Library.
  
  Scheide Home
  
  214 West Main St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
James P. Thomas Home
- The James P. Thomas home is a red brick, three-story house located on the corner of North Perry and West Main Streets. The home features a mixture of architectural styles and has a gabled roof.
  
  James P. Thomas Home
  
  Corner North Perry and West Main Streets
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
Kingsland House
- Titusville City Hall sits in this former hotel built by Nelson Kingsland, a lumber magnate of the 1860s. The building, constructed in 1862, features Greek Revival architecture with four Ionic columns.
  
  Titusville City Hall
  
  107 N. Franklin St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
  
  814-827-9300
  
  titusvillecityhall.com
Isaac L. Shank Home
- At the time of his death, in 1936, 97-year-old Isaac Shank was among Titusville's oldest inhabitants. Shank amassed his fortune first in retail and then in lumber.
  
  Isaac Shank Home
  
  118 W. Main St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
W. H. Abbott Home
- Abbot made his money in oil and invested heavily in railroads. The Abbott home, built around 1870, features an architectural design created by Abbott's son-in-law H.E. Wrigley. The house is a Georgian Colonial Revival with Classical Greek touches, such as fluted Ionic columns on the porch.
  
  W. H. Abbott Home
  
  215 W. Main St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
Hyde Home
- Charles Hyde founded the Second National Bank and invested in the oil industry. One of the oldest brick homes in the town, the house is a two-story Italianate structure with a cupola. A 400-year-old white oak tree sits on the property. A more recent owner, John Fertig, donated the building to the YWCA.
  
  YWCA Titusville
  
  201 N. Franklin St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
  
  814-827-7132
  
  ywcatitusville.org
Oil Creek And Titusville Railroad
- Visitors to Titusville can take a two-and-one-half hour train ride on the Oil Creek and Titusville Railroad. Tour guides explain the history of the region's oil industry. Passengers stop at the Perry Street Station, which has been restored and includes exhibits, a soda fountain and gift shop.
  
  Oil Creek And Titusville Railroad
  
  7 Elm St.
  
  Oil City, PA 16301
  
  814-676-1733
  
  octrr.clarion.edu
Drake Well Museum And Park
- Edwin L. Drake was the first person to drill an oil well. The Drake Well Museum and Park features exhibits exploring the history of the oil industry in Oil Creek Valley. Oil Creek State Park sits next to the Drake Well Museum and features over 7,000 acres of forests, wetlands and a creek.
  
  Drake Well Museum And Park
  
  202 Museum Lane
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
  
  814-827-2797
  
  drakewell.org
Titusville Trust Company
- Currently named Farmers National Bank, the former home of the Titusville Trust Company is a Beaux Arts stone structure featuring a parapet. The interior's ceiling features a mural devoted to Edwin Drake.
  
  Farmers National Bank
  
  127 W. Spring St.
  
  Titusville, PA 16354
  
  814-827-1727
  
  farmersnb.com