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Venango County Historical Society

The Hoge-Osmer House is headquarters for Venango County Historical Society, and is also a house museum. The house was built by Thomas Hoge in 1866 at the close of the Civil War. The Newton Osmer family moved into the house in the early 1890s and made many renovations and additions.

Address: 301 South Park St
Getting there: Corner of South Park and Elk Streets
Hours: May – Dec: House Museum – Tue-Thu Sat 10AM – 2PM; Research Library – Wed Thu 10AM – 2PM, call first to make sure volunteer is on duty. Jan – Apr: House Museum and Research Library – Sat only 10AM – 2PM
Price: Donation
Website: venangocountyhistory.org (opens in a new tab)

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Listing from Wikivoyage: Franklin (Pennsylvania), CC BY-SA 4.0.

Updated 28 Sept 2026. Something wrong? Tell us.

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Venango County Courthouse
The construction of the courthouse was completed in 1868. It was designed by Philadelphian architects and built by a local builder. It was made in the Italianate architectural style, most visible in its uneven towers. Inside the courthouse there are displays of Native American artifacts, such as arrowheads and pottery, from Venango County and nearby areas.
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Fountain Park & Bandstand Park
These parks flank the courthouse on both sides, with Fountain Park to the right and Bandstand Park to the left. The parks are over 200 years old, as they were incorporated into the original city layout in 1795. The Civil War Monument was built just a year after the war ended in 1866. It contains the names of over 400 men from Venango County killed in the war. It is one of the oldest Civil War monuments in the state. The Egbert Memorial Fountain in Fountain Park was built in 1886 in memory of Dr. A.G. Egbert who gave a lot of his oil wealth back to the town. Bandstand Park contains a Vietnam Memorial, Revolutionary War Memorial and, of course, a bandstand where the Franklin Silver Cornet Band, one of America's oldest traditional town bands, plays regular concerts every summer. Applefest takes place in these parks every October.
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Saint John's Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church also shows off the city's former wealth, with its complete collection of Tiffany Windows and mahogany pews. From the outside the church is a stunning example of Victorian architecture. However, from the inside the church is even more breathtaking. St. John's Church includes one of three complete collections of Tiffany windows in the world. All of the windows in the church were commissioned by St. John's and created by the Louis Comfort Tiffany Studios. The "rose" window above the North entrance is the second largest Tiffany window in the world, also said to be one of Tiffany's personal favorites. The pews of the church are also quite beautiful, as the wood used to make them is all from the Amazon Rainforest in South America. Guided tours are available and may be scheduled by calling the church and making a reservation with a church docent;
Self guided tours: Mon-Fri 8AM - 2PM (last: 1:30PM); Sun Eucharist: 8 & 10AM; Thu Mass: 12:05PM$4.00/person, $3.00/person in groups of 30 or more
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Barrow-Civic Theater
Featuring a variety of theater performances from local actors, as well as comedy acts, instrumental performances, and other special productions. See the website to find out about what will be showing during your visit.
Prices vary depending on the production. Children's theater shows are typically $7, while other productions typically range from $17-20