If you haven't heard about this initiative, now's the time to check it out and support Pennsylvania's tourism industry! 
 
   Helping to re-establish tourism funding to its proper levels needs everyone's support. The Oil Region Alliance, along with all 49 Tourism Promotion Agencies in the Commonwealth, is urging our Governor and State Legislators to restore tourism funding at original 2008-2009 FY levels in the 2009-2010 budget. Tourism ranks as the second largest industry in the Commonwealth, generating $10.7 billion in wages and benefits, accounting for almost 7% of all individuals employed in the State. This is a work force of 400,000 representing our hotels, amusement parks, restaurants, museums, and specialty attractions. In 2007 alone, direct spending by travelers to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania generated $28 billion. This initiative needs as many voices as possible. Want to help?  Find out more information and send your support to our local legislators? Visit www.patourismequalsjobs.com and take action to support the Oil Region and Pennsylvania's tourism industry.  
   The Governor's proposed budget is recommending that tourism funding be cut by 57%. Nearly half of the reduction is to the grants given directly to organizations like the Alliance.  This year we received $21,560 to be used to market Venango County.  Under the Governor's proposed budget we would see our potential grant decrease to approximately $13,000. 
   As members of the Pennsylvania Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, the Alliance and 48 other Tourism Promotion Agencies have begun a lobbying effort to encourage the State Legislature to restore tourism funding to last year's level. We appreciate just how difficult the budget process is with a $2 billion+ deficit; however, we are sending a message to the Legislature and the Governor that we are part of a solution to the State's budget crisis. Every dollar invested by the State in tourism promotion will return $3 in tax revenue to the Commonwealth. We are also an industry that is creating jobs...more than 400,000 jobs statewide. Venango County alone has approximately 2,000 jobs generating over $35 million in wages. The Global Insight Economic Impact of Travel & Tourism in Pennsylvania for 2007 states that approximately $23 million in Federal and State/Local taxes are generated from the local tourism industry.  
   The Alliance Board of Directors adopted a resolution to support the tourism issue, and now we are asking you to become involved on an individual basis.  We want to continue to showcase "the valley that changed the world."
 

Alliance Co-sponsors Outdoor Writers' Visit to the Region

by Marilyn Black, VP, Heritage Development 

 

 

 

 

   The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association (POWA) conducted its 2009 conference locally, April 30 - May 3.  With a theme of "Wrapping History Into Your Story," this professional organization met in the Oil Region National Heritage Area, with activities centered in Oil City. 
   POWA is comprised of authors, photographers, nature artists, and broadcasters, as well as representatives of such supporting member organizations as resource agencies and companies making products of interest to those active in traditional outdoor sports.  This conference was attended by 75 guests, most of whom reside in the Commonwealth; also attending were company representatives from Ohio, New York, and New Jersey.
   Randy Seitz, President of the Oil Region Alliance, said, "The Oil Region Alliance, as one of the sponsors of this annual conference, is delighted to have this opportunity to showcase the area's diverse and excellent outdoor recreational opportunities, cultural resources, and friendly hospitality."  Other sponsors include the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Franklin Area Chamber of Commerce, Titusville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. and Mrs. Neil McElwee.  Additional assistance was provided by the City of Oil City, Venango Area Chamber of Commerce, Oil Creek State Park, and the Bureau of Forestry within the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
   From the conference headquarters at The Arlington Hotel in Oil City, participants visited such venues as Venango Museum, smallmouth fishing on the Allegheny River, trout fishing on Oil Creek, turkey hunting for spring gobblers, bicycling on various trails, geocaching, a photography clinic concentrating on waterfalls, the wilderness sections of the Allegheny National Forest, Petroleum Centre, numerous oil history locations, downtown Franklin, and guided bird walks and birding-related activities.  POWA's annual Excellence in Craft Awards were presented during an evening banquet.
   Conference details and services were being coordinated by the POWA Conference Committee including POWA President Harry Guyer, POWA Executive Director Robert Lollo, and local active members including Darl Black, Conference Chair Marilyn Black, Bob Myers, Regis Senko, Linda Steiner, and Robert Steiner. 

New Merchandise Catalog Available

   by Kim Harris, Project Manager 

   Over the past year, the Alliance has added many Oil 150 products and commemorative items along with additional oil history related books to its retail line.  We have updated the merchandise catalog to include all the new items. 
   The new catalog features a full color cover and a quick index on the back to assist users to locate products in which they are interested.  The 44-page catalog contains a colored image, brief description, and cost for each item. 
   To request your free copy of the catalog, please contact Kim Harris, Project Manager, at 814-677-3152, extension 120, or kharris@oilregion.org.

The Valley that Changed the World      by William Wingo, Oil 150 Director
 
   The Oil Region Alliance premiered The Valley that Changed the World on March 14 at the Barrow Civic Theater in Franklin.  WQED Pittsburgh showcased the production on April 16 at 8:00 pm and again on April 19 on Channel 13. 
   The Valley that Changed to World was filmed in High Definition and runs approximately 57 minutes. It follows the development of the worldwide petroleum industry from the early 1800's through modern times. The oil industry's roots in Titusville, Oil City, and Franklin are chronicled using period photographs and interviews with prominent oil historians and local experts. 
   The production is available as a DVD at the Alliance office and from our Oil 150 retail outlets. The DVD can  also be ordered from the online store at www.oil150.com. The cost is $19.95 plus shipping of $5.00. There is no shipping charge at retail outlets or at the Alliance Office. For further information contact:William Wingo, Oil 150 Director, 814 677-3152 ext 104, wwingo@oilregion.org.
 

 

 

 

 

   The Oil 150 Calendar of Events has arrived.  As you know, this is the 150th anniversary of Drakes Well, the first successful oil well.  There are many exciting events planned through the year that are listed in the events calendar.  Be sure to pick up a copy at the Oil Region Alliance office, 217 Elm Street, Oil City, or the Titusville Chamber office, 202 W. Central Avenue, Titusville.  If you would like a supply of these calendars and are not on our normal distribution list, please contact our office at 814-677-3152 ext. 101 and we will have them ready for you.

Natural Gas Maps Get a Facelift and a New Home   by Mike Henderson, Project Manager

   Thanks to a Pennsylvania Humanities Council grant via PHMC, the maps that are part of the large collection of natural gas artifacts under the care of the Alliance are getting a little TLC. Until they find a permanent home, the natural gas collection artifacts are currently housed at three different locations in Oil City. Over the past several years, the maps, numbering over 1,000, have been stored in a dry but climatically uncontrolled warehouse location. These are the maps that would have been used for field operations over the past hundred years by the local gas company headquartered in Oil City.
   This spring, the map conservation work has been performed by Rachel Stevenson and Abigail Watson-Popescu of Titusville, and will be complete by the end of May. Both Rachel and Abigail have a keen interest in local history and both have experience in museum conservation work. Over the past couple months they have been transferring the maps from their unprotected storage area into archival storage materials and containers which are now housed in the National Transit Building alongside the photographic archives within the collection. Each map gets wiped down to remove dust and dirt that has accumulated over the decades of their storage, is properly catalogued into the collection database, and then placed into a clean, acid-free box for flat storage. Marianne Battista of the Venango County Historical Society has provided guidance throughout the project.

 

by Toni Kresinski