Clarion County, Pennsylvania: History
The county was formed on March 11, 1839, from parts of Venango and Armstrong counties. The county gets its name from the Clarion River, which flows through the center of the county. The river was a major source of economic growth in the early days of the area. The county relied on the lumber industry in its earliest days, and the Clarion River was used to transport lumber to the Allegheny River. The iron industry dominated the county for a short while, and Clarion County boasted an impressive 31 iron furnaces.
After Edwin Drake struck oil in 1859, many wildcatters flocked to area to drill for oil, particularly along Canoe Creek, Beaver Creek, and the Clarion River. The wildcatting in the county slowed down after the early petroleum industry crashed in 1861 and no major developments would occur until 1869. In 1869, wildcatters struck several decently producing wells across the Allegheny from Parker City. This opened up the Clarion Field, and producers moved to capitalize on these discoveries quickly, putting down wells along the Allegheny River and the Clarion River on the Grass Flats.