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Description
Welcome to oil country! Whitehall Camp is at the “Gateway to oil country where history and scenic views intertwine.” We are located on the eastern hill of the Allegheny River above the town of Emlenton, PA, about a 2 mile drive. Historically the Allegheny River has provided access to the Northwestern area of Penn’s Woods, named after Sir William Penn. From the forests north floating flotillas of logs as well as shipments of building stone needed in Pittsburgh brought businessmen to the area. Then in 1798 when Congress declared the land open for settlement the Emlenton area settled and expanded. By 1839 twenty iron furnaces were built within a 20-mile radius so that pig iron could be floated to Pittsburgh. The town of Emlenton received its name from Hannah Emlen, the wife of a wealthy Quaker from Philadelphia who was interested in, then owned a large tract of land in both Venango and Clarion counties. Eight years after that, the first oil well was drilled in 1859 outside Titusville stimulating oil exploration in other nearby areas. The Emlenton areas first well was drilled on Ritchey Run in 1867. The natural gas by-product of oil drilling was deemed a nuisance but through the insight of local businessmen the Emlenton Gas Light and Fuel Co. was formed in 1882. This was one of the first in the State of Pennsylvania to be charted and the 3rd in the United States. This gas company was the beginning of the Columbia Gas System still in existence today. In 1931 a merger of 19 oil companies formed the Quaker State Oil Refining Corporation. Today the company is owned by Astor Corporation and is a leading producer of quality wax. To meet the transportation needs of the ever-expanding industries, a railroad access was established following the meandering valley of the Allegheny River to Pittsburgh. With energy development and transportation availability on both land and river, Emlenton became an important hub to the development of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Details
Activitiesartistic:
Sessions(Please contact camp directly for updated session schedule.)
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