Editing Oil City, Pennsylvania (section)

===Deserted Oil Creek Furnace===
The bend in the Allegheny River at Oil City slowed the speed of the river's waters, providing a spot for [[barge]]s and [[raft]]s to land easily. For many years, the Bannons and Halydays rented rooms in their homes and space in their barns to bargemen and rafters using the landing at Oil Creek Furnace.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=434}} About 1852 or 1853, Thomas Moran settled in the area and built a large [[inn]]{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=435}} (Moran House){{sfn|Eaton|1876|page=41}} next to the Bannon home. It proved popular and soon expanded, and became a local landmark. Samuel Hopewell opened a second inn shortly after Moran, and in the fall 1852 his brother, John P. Hopewell, opened a third inn and a new general store on Main Street. Settler Hiram Gordon opened the Red Lion, the area's first saloon, about the same time Hopewell's store began operation.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=435}} Located near the mouth of Oil Creek,{{sfn|Eaton|1876|page=41}} the saloon provided live entertainment.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=435}} In June 1856, {{convert|1000|acre|km2}} of the property was sold by the Bell heirs to Graff, Hasson & Company. James Hasson, son William Hasson, and William's family took up residence on the tract and began farming.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=433}}

Although the village of Oil Creek Furnace was largely deserted, settlement continued in the area. On August 6, 1840, Benjamin Thompson [[Land patent|patented]] nearly all of what is now Oil City east of Oil Creek and north of the Allegheny. This land was quickly [[Subdivision (land)|subdivided]] and sold to other settlers.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=434}} With the death of his mother in 1844, James Halyday sold his land about 1846 to Dr. John Nevins and several other settlers.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=434}} Nevins was a physician, the first to practice medicine in the area.{{sfn|Eaton|1876|page=40}}{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=435}} James Hollis patented {{convert|200|acre|km2}} of land{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=434}} on the south side of the Allegheny River{{sfn|Eaton|1876|page=42}} in 1851, and purchased the remainder of Thompson's land on January 3, 1853. Hollis, in turn, sold all his land on April 25 to Henry Bastian.{{sfn|Bell|1890|page=434}}