 Oil City replaced her charter with a new one in January 1881 after the state implemented a new township charter law.A city hall was erected later that year on Seneca Street.The city was partially destroyed by flood in 1865 and by both flood and fire in 1866 and again in 1892; on this last occasion, several oil tanks that were struck by lightning gave way, and Oil Creek carried a mass of burning oil into the city, where some 60 lives were lost and property valued at more than $1 million was destroyed.