About the Project

My photo
Portland, OR, United States
We are embarking on a project to document historical downtowns in America before they crumble. Many downtowns in former industrial towns and cities, such as Detroit, St. Louis, and Camden, NJ used to be booming industrial towns. Now storefronts stand abandoned and rotting, no one walks around and there are few cultural activities. We plan on photodocumenting large and small declining cities and towns alike, mostly in the Rust Belt and Texas. We are also interested in finding solutions that revitalize and restore these crumbling downtowns.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Oil City

Despite losing over half its population between 1940 and today, Oil City has managed to maintain a viable main street. Special emphasis has been placed on preservation of victorian structures and retaining its history.

I chose to profile this city to show that economic decline (especially within Rust Belt cities) does not have to signal the death of a city. Oil City has focused on promoting itself as a tourist destination, focusing on its heritage sights, historic city center and natural surroundings.

With a present population of 10,500, Oil City seems like a much larger place. The density of downtown buildings, destination points within the city center, and a quality walking environment make Oil City a vibrant and exciting place. It should serve as an example to other Rust Belt cities as they chart the course of their future.



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