As we vision a brighter future for our region, we often reflect on the past, comparing memories of a more robust time with the slower pace of our current communities.
In retrospect, it can seem appealing to think about the industry strewn corridors, the lines at the banks and lunch counters and actual traffic congestion in our downtowns. Those were good times for many, but they are unlikely to return. And if we were to magically attract those same businesses that provided employment in decades past, we know that they would be received with a very different response in today’s business climate.
What inspires people to choose a “place”, to live, work and play is motivated by more than a job these days. We throw around the term “quality of life”, but indeed, that is what is bringing people to Venango County.
The relaxed lifestyles of a rural community have become a drawing card for those looking to escape the busy pace of the city. Add lower real estate prices, short home to work communities, and the strong sense of community and we have a new formula for success.
It is worth paying attention to those amenities that attracted droves of people to our towns decades and even centuries ago. Any walk through history will include stories of the many theaters that dotted our landscapes, in the cities of Franklin, Oil City and Titusville and through those that are only known as ghost towns. Local theater continues to be alive and well, better than well in fact! The Barrow Theatre continues to wow us all with their steady line-up of first-rate performance, most with a local or regional cast.
The arts are dismissed by some as an inconsequential investment in developing our region, but those in economic development are seeing otherwise.
Jon Bernstein is among the dozens of artists who have recently decided to call Venango County Home. When his realtor found the Turning Point property, located in Cranberry, he was willing to give us a try, moving here last July for a trial run. By December, his mind was made up.
Jon describes the experience of moving here and opening Wildcat: “It was certainly a leap of faith, but I was struck by the region’s beauty and admired its history. I asked myself, “Will I regret it if I do it, or will I regret it if I don’t do it?” I met with local historian Carolee Michener and learned that the property had at one point been called Glen Moy. As I learned more details about the mansion’s history – like the Whann-Lithia bottling plant that had been at the bottom of the property by the river, and the White Sisters of Africa convent years and even John Wilkes’ Booth’s oil well adjacent to the property – the more captivated I became. I also love the charm and character of Franklin and Oil City. I’m a big architecture fan, and the Transit Building, Latonia Theatre and Lyric Theatre blew me away. It just seemed like an opportunity I couldn’t pass up, and I concluded I’d regret it if I didn’t take the leap.”
Connections were critical to Jon’s decision to stay. While he plays a big part in reaching out and then being receptive to introductions, he notes that the generosity of community members and their willingness to help him has made all the difference.
As he grows his circle of friends and creative partners, his ideas have become more than a vision, rather a reality. Wildcat has now hosted several gatherings and will soon be offering public events, during the upcoming holidays of Halloween and Christmas.
While the arts community on its own provides a boost to our local economy, it provides another reason for those who want to do business in the Oil Region to come and participate, actively or from the audience.
This article was published in the Venango Chamber’s September 2022 VenangoWorks! Newsletter.