The Oil Region Alliance held a Preservation Workshop in Pleasantville on May 19.

The Oil Heritage Region Historic Preservation Awards have been awarded since 1997 and were created to recognize projects that represent preservation, restoration and rehabilitation; acknowledge initiatives, services or commitment to the preservation of historic structures; create an advocacy for historic preservation through a greater public awareness of the built environment; and enhance a region-wide preservation ethic in both the public and private sectors.

Christ Episcopal Church, located at 16 Central Avenue in Oil City, received an award for Preservation Stewardship. This Gothic Revival masterpiece was constructed in 1886. Work done on the church over the past 40 years includes the chancel area, altar, flooring, Rose window, slate roof, window, and an addition of a handicapped lift.

Recently, the church embarked on a façade improvement that included repairs to the wood louvers on the bell tower, damaged wing wall, front main entrance door & threshold, door at ADA entrance, and stone window well.

Recent work was completed by  Gustafson General Contracting.  The Oil City Main Street program provided funding through its façade grant program for  work  on the bell tower, louvers and front entrance doors.

This article was published in the Venango Area Chamber of Commerce’s June 2018 edition of the VenangoWorks! Newsletter.