The City of Corry- Its Advantages- 1909

Corry Business Men's Exchange wrote this book in 1909 to attract new business to Corry. Corry was a boom town after the discovery of oil in Titusville in 1859; it became the location of the new Downer Oil Works (Refinery) in 1862, which started the city from nothing. The facilities that built the oil works then built the city to house the hundreds of workers for the refinery. The oil works attracted more people, and by 1866 Corry was an incorporated city, and in 1870 the population was 6,726. The book depicts all the local political and school officials, significant businesses, and prominent citizens' homes. As it says, "Over one-half of the population of the United States can be reached within 500 miles of Corry." Corry was serviced by; three railroads providing frequent passenger and freight service, two express companies, two telegraph, and two telephone companies. It provided low-cost land, good workers, and access to rail transportation. As Corry was only 43 years old at the writing of this book, most people featured were founders of the city. This historical document is a must-have for anyone studying the history of the Corry area.