Warren Boro and Warren County prospered and grew from the timber and oil businesses. And those industries still play a big part in our current economy.

When you stand in Washington Park and overlook the city you can see all that timber and oil brought us.

Most of the buildings in downtown were built by men who made their fortunes in the oil and timber industry. The household mansions housed these same people. In the distance you can see the last remaining refinery in the area. There were many throughout the county. Sawmills were everywhere and logs were floated down the Allegheny to other mills.

Without the oil and lumber business Warren wouldn’t be what it is today.

A writer recently expounded on the revitalization of Washington Park and to change it for more usage such as bike trails. I am not against more recreation sites but why can’t people come up with some original idea? A great group of people, along with the Forest Service, have established a great array of bike trails in the National Forest with a lot more in the planning stages.

Why spread it out? People complain about crowds but people flock to crowds. If people see many others doing something they have a tendency to join in. By having the trails in other areas it waters down the herd effect

The writer further discusses cleaning up the area by getting rid of the oil wells and the crude oil scent to make it more pleasing.

This is our heritage. Our county would be nothing without the oil industry. Instead of changing the Washington Park area into an “amusement park” why not keep it as an outdoor museum to our past?

Maybe even put in a few pump jacks and other oil field equipment. And create an old saw mill site. How better to show your children, grand children and visitors about the industries as they overlook the city that is a direct result of them.

Very few people go to museums any more but an outside “museum” where a family can picnic, play a few games and learn some history would be unique for our area.

I have not spoken with anyone about this but I am sure that there are a number of people in our area who have old oil field equipment that could be used to establish an area depicting an oil drilling and pumping site.

Lou Dussia is a Warren resident.