Oil Pipelines

In November, 1879, the National Transit Company began Leasing Land in Vienna Township from approximately twenty-three landowners for the purpose of installing five six-inch I.D. oil lines that would run from Texas to New Jersey. These underground pipelines may be viewed above ground on the east side of Youngstown-Kingsville Road (State Route #193), south of Vienna Center, as they enter the Squaw Creek Country Club property. Oil flowed through these lines until they began to rupture sometime before 1968. Oil could be seen above ground at various points. These five lines are no longer used and stand empty. In the latter years of their service, they were called collectively the Buckeye Pipeline.

The following list enumerates the landowners who leased their land to the National Transit Company and the dates upon which these individual leases were created.

Buckeye Pipeline Lessors & Date of Lease

Alexander Stewart - November 1, 1879
Chauncey Dunlap - November 8, 1879
W. W. Pope - November 8, 1879
Madison Powers - November 10, 1879
R. L. Demming - December 15, 1879
Alexander S. Stewart - December 15, 1879
John and Hannah Scoville - May 14, 1880
A. S. Stewart - November 15, 1882
Wm. A. Clark- November 21, 1882
W. W. Pope - November 22, 1882
Chauncey and R. H. Dunlap - November 23, 1882
Madison Powers - December 9, 1882
M. A. NcNaughton et al. - January 16, 1894
Samuel K. Rarsh - October 14, 1904
Samuel and Mary McNaughton - October 15, 1904
Ella W. Everett - October 25, 1904
Edwin and Clara Boyd - October 25, 1904
Catherine Stewart - October 25, 1904
Albert I. Powers - April 12, 1906
Matilda Baldwin - October 26, 1906
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad - September 20, 1909
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad - September 20, 1910
Rollin C. Steese - October 24, 1912

The five old oil pipelines entered Vienna Township through the Chauncey Dunlap farm in Lot #40 as they left Howland Township on the west. The pipelines left Vienna through Lot #2 on the east through the Clark farm as they entered Brookfield Township.

About the year 1993 a new five-inch line was installed beside the old pipelines. This new line contains a fiber optic cable and extends from Cleveland, Ohio, to New York City.