Emlenton
Franklin
Oil City
Tionesta
Titusville
Pleasantville
Meadville
Tidioute
Endeavor
Warren
Sheffield
Bradford
Smethport
Ridgway

Styles

Adam
Greek Revival
Classical Revival
Gothic Revival
Italianate
Second Empire
Stick
Queen Anne
Shingle
Colonial Revival
Neoclassical
Tudor
English Cottage

TIDIOUTE

Tidioute is roughly seven miles up the River from where East Hickory Creek runs into the Allegheny at East Hickory.  In the 1850's, the place actually consisted of two villages, Upper Tidioute and Lower Tidioute.  At this location on the Allegheny, the River runs from east to west before making a turn to the south.  Both villages were on the north bank of the River and about a mile apart.  Eight steam powered saw mills were in operation in the immediate vicinity and the milled timber was brought to the river bank for rafting downriver.  A mill dam was constructed from the north bank to the middle of the three Courson Islands.  The site contained a number of stores, taverns, “mechanic’s” shops, boarding houses and the like.  When the water in the creeks feeding the River was high and running, several hundred men were employed in the lumbering business.
 

	View of Courson Islands and Tidioute from an Overlook across the river from Tidioute

From an overlook across the River, accessible to the public, the Courson Islands in the River below and the layout of the nineteenth century lumber town can be seen.  It is a spectacular view and well worth the effort to see.

The Samuel Hunter family was a prominent pioneer family in the area in the early nineteenth century.  In time, the family would organize the Hunter Lumber Company which was particularly successful.  Out on Main Street in what early on  was called Upper Tidioute, Jahu Hunter erected a splendid Second Empire residence.  We have discussed that house and pictured it in our Styles Section under the Second Empire heading.  Please refer to that section.
 

Scott Building on Main Street Tidioute, Pennsylvania		S. Tipton Residence Tidioute, Pennsylvania

The vertical emphasis of 1870's Victorian architecture can be seen in the 1873 Scott building, a commercial Italianate on Main Street and the Second Empire residence with a tower built by S. Tipton in the early 1870's.  Oil was discovered nearby as early as 1860.  The resulting oil excitement and wealth provided the financial energy to build a number of stylish Victorian structures throughout the village.  Many of those structures remain today.