UPCOMING EVENTS
Winter Academy Virtual Lunch Break
Thursday, January 23, 2025
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
On Thursday, January 23, 2025 at 12:30 p.m. Sarah Goodman, Museum Educator at Drake Well Museum and Park will virtually present "Domestic Life in the Oil Region." This talk will focus on what was going on in the homes during the oil boom. Sarah has always been interested in how things were done in the past, especially keeping house. When she started working at Drake Well, she often wondered how they kept their clothes clean with all the mud and oil about. This presentation will be a look into that mystery and more. Registration required at ra-phdrakewell@pa.gov. (FREE)
Pithole Cabin Fever Party
Saturday, February 8, 2025
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tired of being cooped up in the house? Escape to Historic Pithole City and shake off your winter blues with history and fun. If there is snow, bring your sled! FREE Admission, donations welcome. Historic Pithole City is located at 14118 Pithole Road, Pleasantville, PA 16341.
Wisdom & More: T.C. Joy Radiators
Thursday, March 6, 2025
Join us for our annual lecture series, Wisdom & More, held every Thursday evening in March! Series is sponsored by CSR Services, LLC. On Thursday, March 6, Dr. Rhonda Clark will present on T.C. Joy Radiators of Titusville. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for social hour featuring libations from Side Hustle Brews & Spirits, followed by the presentation at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for members of Friends of Drake Well and $10 for non-members.
Pennsylvania's Birthday
Sunday, March 9, 2025
10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Celebrate Pennsylvania’s 344th Birthday at Drake Well Museum and Park with FREE admission!! Grab a birthday cupcake while supplies last!
Wisdom & More: Whale Oil
Thursday, March 13, 2025
Join us for our annual lecture series, Wisdom & More, held every Thursday evening in March! Series is sponsored by CSR Services, LLC. On Thursday, March 13, researcher Jamie Jones will present on the whale oil industry and how it was affected by Drake Well's success in August 1859. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for social hour featuring libations from Broken Straw Valley Winery, followed by the presentation at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for members of Friends of Drake Well and $10 for non-members.
Wisdom & More: 19th Century Fashion
Thursday, March 20, 2025
Join us for our annual lecture series, Wisdom & More, held every Thursday evening in March! Series is sponsored by CSR Services, LLC. On Thursday, March 20, historian Cynda Sites will present on 19th century fashion and etiquette. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for social hour featuring libations from Broken Straw Valley Winery, followed by the presentation at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for members of Friends of Drake Well and $10 for non-members.
Wisdom & More: Oil & Gas Development in the U.S.
Thursday, March 27, 2025
Join us for our annual lecture series, Wisdom & More, held every Thursday evening in March! Series is sponsored by CSR Services, LLC. On Thursday, March 27, renowned author and scholar, Daniel Raimi, will present "Oil and Gas Development in the United States: Where Have We Been & Where Are We Going?" Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. for social hour featuring libations from Before the Barrel Distillery, followed by the presentation at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $5 for members of Friends of Drake Well and $10 for non-members.
More on Daniel Raimi...
Daniel Raimi is a fellow at RFF and a lecturer at the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan. He works on a range of energy policy issues with a focus on tools to enable an equitable energy transition. He has published in academic journals including Science, Science Advances, Environmental Science and Technology, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Review of Environmental Economics and Policy, Energy Research and Social Science, and Energy Policy, in popular outlets including The New Republic, Newsweek, Slate, and Fortune, and quoted extensively in national media outlets such as CNN, NPR's All Things Considered, New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and many more. He has presented his research for policymakers, industry, and other stakeholders around the United States and internationally, including before the US Senate Budget Committee and the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee of the US House's Natural Resources Committee. In 2017, he published The Fracking Debate (Columbia University Press), a book that combines stories from his travels to dozens of oil- and gas-producing regions with a detailed examination of key policy issues.
He also cohosts Resources Radio, a weekly podcast from RFF, in which he interviews leading researchers on energy and environmental topics.
He received his master’s degree in public policy from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and his bachelor’s degree in music from Wesleyan University. Prior to entering graduate school, Raimi worked as a guitarist, composer, and music instructor in New York and Los Angeles. In his spare time, he still plays music (mostly jazz and bluegrass), cooks, plays tennis, and spends time with family. He lives in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with his wife and kids. https://www.rff.org/people/dan...
Behind the Scenes at Drake Well: Friends of Drake Well Members Only!
Thursday, April 10, 2025
Members of Friends of Drake Well are invited for a behind-the-scenes look at Drake Well Museum! Event will begin at 6:00 p.m. Must be a current member of the Friends of Drake Well, Inc. to attend. Registration is required; email c-emilywea@pa.gov to RSVP and/or check to see if you are a current member! More details soon to follow.
Engine Start Up Day
Sunday, May 4, 2025
Join us as some of the engines in our outdoor exhibits come out of winter hibernation, including the steam engine inside the Drake Well replica! The day will also feature a presentation by Norm Shade on the Bessemer Gas Engine Company and its successor, the Cooper-Bessemer Company. The Bessemer Gas Engine Co. of Grove City, Pennsylvania, started in 1899 and by the 1920’s had one of the world’s largest industrial plant foundries among its 29 buildings. Their need for additional capital along with the C & G Cooper Company of Ohio's need for additional production facilities resulted in the merger and formation of The Cooper-Bessemer Corporation on April 4, 1929. Shade is a volunteer and serves on the board for the Coolspring Power Museum. Regular admission applies for this event.
Oil Creek 5 & 13 Stacked Trail Races
Saturday, May 17, 2025
7:00 a.m. start for 5-mile race; 8:30 a.m. start for 13-mile race
The 4th Annual Oil Creek 5 & 13 Stacked Trail Races feature a 5-mile race and 13-mile race utilizing paths and trails around the Drake Well Museum, including the Gerard Hiking Trail in Oil Creek State Park. The races feature an exciting twist: the “Stacked Challenge.” Race start times are staged 90 minutes apart with the 5-mile race starting first bright and early at 7 a.m. followed by the 13-mile race at 8:30 a.m. This allows the option for participants to run one or both races, competing for the fastest “stacked” finish time. There is a strict 90-minute cutoff for those attempting both race distances! Finisher awards for each race distance are awarded as well as awards for the Stacked Challenge. Check back soon for registration!
Drake Day
Sunday, August 10, 2025
Celebrate the anniversary of Edwin L. Drake striking oil in Titusville on August 27, 1859! Check back for more details!
The Drake Well Marathon & Half
Sunday, August 17, 2025
7:00 a.m. Start
The ever-popular Drake Well Marathon & Half is back again for 2025! Participants will experience the beauty of historic Oil Creek and nearby Titusville as they run along shaded streets and creek banks. The community comes together for this event with amazing volunteers and friends to cheer along participants. All proceeds from the race benefit Friends of Drake Well, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)(3) community-based organization, which partners with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission in the administration of Drake Well Museum and Park. Check back for registration!
41st Annual Fall Gas Up
Saturday, September 13, 2025
9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Visit Drake Well Museum and Park for its 41st Annual Fall Gas Up, sponsored by the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania, and experience the engines and equipment that powered Pennsylvania’s oil fields! Displays will include operating and stationary antique engines, farm and oil field equipment, tractors, models, and more. Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for senior citizens, and $5 for children ages 3-11; members of Friends of Drake Well are FREE. Entrance into the Drake Well Museum and its outdoor exhibits is included with admission; the museum will be open to visitors from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Any collector is welcome and encouraged to bring engines and equipment to display at the event! Engines ranging in size from small Maytags used to power washing machines to large oilfield engines that pumped multiple wells will be displayed by exhibitors from across the tri-state area. Members of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society, based in Saegertown, Pennsylvania, will also feature engines, tractors, and related equipment. Exhibitor registration will take place the day of the event, no pre-registration is required.
4th Annual Oil Boom Historic Dinner
Thursday, September 25, 2025
Social Hour at 5:30 p.m.; Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Join us for an evening of delectable dishes made from authentic 19th century recipes! This event benefits Friends of Drake Well, Inc., in its mission to support Drake Well Museum and Park. Check back soon for ticket pricing and registration.
Historic Pithole City Lantern Tours
Saturday, October 4, 2025
6:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m.
Join us for the Historic Pithole City Lantern Tours and experience history as it comes to life! Visitors will walk the former streets of the legendary oil boomtown, meeting some of Pithole's most famous historical figures along the way. Tours depart every 10 minutes beginning at 6:30 p.m. with the last tour departing at 9:30 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately 90 minutes. Visitors are encouraged to arrive early, wear weather-appropriate clothing, and bring a flashlight. NOTE: the tours cover steep hills and semi-rugged terrain. Please wear sturdy shoes suitable for walking. Tours are walking only; golf carts and other vehicles are not provided.
Tickets go on sale September 1, 2025 - check back for more information!