Former Pennzoil Service Station

Architect Joseph E. Brenot came to Oil City, Pennsylvania after the devastating 1892 fire and flood. This catastrophically devastating event destroyed 75 homes and more than 20 downtown buildings, the debris-filled floodwaters and raging flames claiming over a hundred lives. Brenot went on to fill Oil City with residential, commercial, religious, and institutional buildings in a range of styles. The integrity and historical diversity of these buildings resulted in Oil City downtown’s commercial district being added to the National Register of Historic Places, notable for the preservation of the storefronts. With notable exceptions, the brick façades of these historic buildings present streets almost identical to those in the early 1900s.

The station, originally known as Payne Bros, is art deco as well as industrial vernacular in style. This simply means that while it follows the art deco style, it was built with local materials, and with concessions to local design preferences. Built in 1928 at a cost of $15,000, the yellow brick which forms the exterior of the building was accented by a green terra cotta finish. Green accents are not uncommon, as they also appear in the theatre, and other buildings. However, it's notable because Brenot decided to incorporate them into an auto shop - a purely functional structure. These tasteful additions of his led to the station being declared the prettiest one in Pennsylvania, a veritable "model station". The Payne Bros station featured an office cubicle in the center, and the lower-roofed service area was book-ended on both sides by two taller, attached buildings. Each of these sported a small decorative balcony under their street-facing window.The drive-through station didn’t open for business until 1931, as it took three years to construct.

As time went on, ownership of this building changed from the Payne Bros to the Pennzoil Corporation. Locally, it was known as Miller’s Auto, after the owners. After its acquisition of the building, the Quaker State Corporation added glass enclosures to the façade in the 1980s. With this addition, the company officially changed the purpose of the structure from an auto shop to office space. After a period of use, the building was then donated to the Oil City Community Development Corporation. They communicated with the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism and they came into possession of the building. Late 2018 saw the addition of Congressman Glenn Thompson’s office staff in the tater book-end building to the left of the entrance. The governor's staff began renting at the building after a bout of redistricting forced them to move from their previous offices. 

The Oil Region Alliance was formed from the Venango Economic Development Corporation; Oil Heritage Region, Inc.; Oil Heritage Region Tourist Promotion Agency; and Oil City Community Development Corporation in 2005. Since then it has been dedicated to historical preservation, economic stimulation, recreational expansion, and tourism attraction, all focused in the Oil Region. The Oil Region is a National Heritage area in northwest Pennsylvania, significant for its role in the birth of the oil industry in the mid-1800s.

“About the ORA.” Oil Region Alliance, Oil Region Alliance, oilregion.org/the-alliance/about-the-ora/.

Glass, B. 1997, National Register of Historic Places Registration Form, OM3 No. 1024-0013, PA Historical and Museum Commission.

Oil Region Alliance. Oil Region Alliance , 2019, pp. 5–5, Project and Program Study.