Railroads Shape Union City
The fact that in 1852, James Miles had been appointed Director of the Philadelphia & Erie Railroad is central to Union City History. James used his influence to ensure that the railroad route was carried to Union instead of Wattsburg as originally planned, because he had more interests in Union Mills than in Wattsburg.
The Philadelphia & Erie Railroad and the Atlantic & Great Western Railroads and the Union & Titusville shaped the fate of Union Mills. Around the year 1855, Union Mills consisted of a few buildings surrounding the mills.
Then in 1855, H.L. Church, A.L. Summerton and D.M. McLeod moved to Union from Warren, rebuilt the mills, and started a store and sold lots. David Wilson laid out a town under the sponsorship of James Mills who owned much of the property in the area.
In 1858, the railroad was opened to Union through the influence of Miles and by December of that year it was completed to Warren. The railroad brought many new people in Union Mills began to grow.
In 1859, P.G. Stranahan, who had been a farmer and hotel keeper in LeBoeuf, bought the Miles homestead and laid out an addition to the town on the south side and sold off a large number of lots. Also in 1859, the natural development of oil in Titusville was perfected by Colonel James Drake. For a time the oil was sent to Pittsburgh down Oil Creek and the Allegheny. Then the new railroad in Union Mills provided a more convenient way of transportation. Soon a large portion of the oil was hauled to Erie where it was sent west and to the seaboard over the Lake Shore Railroad. This hauling of oil from Titusville to Union employed thousands of men and teams at a big profit. Union was densely crowded. Trade of every sort became lively and stores, shops and dwellings appeared overnight.
In 1862, three oil refineries and several large cooper shops ran to their fullest capacity. Then the Oil Creek Road was completed and oil traffic was diverted to Corry. The Union City boom was ended, but the town survived and thrived.
In 1865, James Sill and P.G. Stranahan founded the Union & Titusville Road which would have brought back some of the oil trade. It wasn’t completed until February 1871, after the oil center had changed from Titusville so it never operated the way its founders had intended it to operate.
The Atlantic & Great Western Railroad built through Union Mills in 1862. It increased the value of property and brought more people in to make Union Mills their home.
Thursday, April 6, 1882
The fence around the P & E reservoir on Crooked (Market) Street is in a dilapidated condition.
Thursday, March 20, 1884
Some reckless fellow turned the standard where the engines take water near the P & E depot one day last week and when the gravel engine came in the evening it projected out so far that the side of the cab was smashed in. Had it been turned just a little more the chances are that the fireman on the engine would have been killed. Parties who commit such work as that should be punished severely for it.
Thursday, May 19, 1887
Mr. John Carroll of Oil City has been assigned the position of conductor on the Union & Titusville Road and will move his family to Union City in a few days.
Mr. J.V. Graff has left the employ of the P & E Railroad and has accepted a position with the Western Union Telegraph Company with headquarters at Buffalo, New York.
Thursday, August 24, 1887
The freight traffic on the Nypano Road has been so great the past few weeks that a general blockade has resulted several times, the company not being able to move it as fast as delivered to them. This is certainly a good indication of prosperous times and a fine fall and winter trade.
August 30, 1888
The funeral of Miss Mamie Martin, of Lincolnville, daughter of the section boss on the Union and Titusville Railroad, was held at the Catholic Church in Union Tuesday morning and the remains were interred in the Catholic Cemetery. She was about 19 years of age and quite well known by many of the young people in this city. Her death was caused from heart disease.
The Philadelphia & Erie Railroad and the Atlantic & Great Western Railroads and the Union & Titusville shaped the fate of Union Mills. Around the year 1855, Union Mills consisted of a few buildings surrounding the mills.
Then in 1855, H.L. Church, A.L. Summerton and D.M. McLeod moved to Union from Warren, rebuilt the mills, and started a store and sold lots. David Wilson laid out a town under the sponsorship of James Mills who owned much of the property in the area.
In 1858, the railroad was opened to Union through the influence of Miles and by December of that year it was completed to Warren. The railroad brought many new people in Union Mills began to grow.
In 1859, P.G. Stranahan, who had been a farmer and hotel keeper in LeBoeuf, bought the Miles homestead and laid out an addition to the town on the south side and sold off a large number of lots. Also in 1859, the natural development of oil in Titusville was perfected by Colonel James Drake. For a time the oil was sent to Pittsburgh down Oil Creek and the Allegheny. Then the new railroad in Union Mills provided a more convenient way of transportation. Soon a large portion of the oil was hauled to Erie where it was sent west and to the seaboard over the Lake Shore Railroad. This hauling of oil from Titusville to Union employed thousands of men and teams at a big profit. Union was densely crowded. Trade of every sort became lively and stores, shops and dwellings appeared overnight.
In 1862, three oil refineries and several large cooper shops ran to their fullest capacity. Then the Oil Creek Road was completed and oil traffic was diverted to Corry. The Union City boom was ended, but the town survived and thrived.
In 1865, James Sill and P.G. Stranahan founded the Union & Titusville Road which would have brought back some of the oil trade. It wasn’t completed until February 1871, after the oil center had changed from Titusville so it never operated the way its founders had intended it to operate.
The Atlantic & Great Western Railroad built through Union Mills in 1862. It increased the value of property and brought more people in to make Union Mills their home.
Thursday, April 6, 1882
The fence around the P & E reservoir on Crooked (Market) Street is in a dilapidated condition.
Thursday, March 20, 1884
Some reckless fellow turned the standard where the engines take water near the P & E depot one day last week and when the gravel engine came in the evening it projected out so far that the side of the cab was smashed in. Had it been turned just a little more the chances are that the fireman on the engine would have been killed. Parties who commit such work as that should be punished severely for it.
Thursday, May 19, 1887
Mr. John Carroll of Oil City has been assigned the position of conductor on the Union & Titusville Road and will move his family to Union City in a few days.
Mr. J.V. Graff has left the employ of the P & E Railroad and has accepted a position with the Western Union Telegraph Company with headquarters at Buffalo, New York.
Thursday, August 24, 1887
The freight traffic on the Nypano Road has been so great the past few weeks that a general blockade has resulted several times, the company not being able to move it as fast as delivered to them. This is certainly a good indication of prosperous times and a fine fall and winter trade.
August 30, 1888
The funeral of Miss Mamie Martin, of Lincolnville, daughter of the section boss on the Union and Titusville Railroad, was held at the Catholic Church in Union Tuesday morning and the remains were interred in the Catholic Cemetery. She was about 19 years of age and quite well known by many of the young people in this city. Her death was caused from heart disease.