Walnut Creek Hotel in Kearsarge, PA

Walnut Creek Hotel postcard courtesy of Tom DiLuzio.

Here is a real photo postcard of an old Erie County hotel, complete with several pieces of luggage sitting in the dirt. The Walnut Creek Hotel, if it existed today, would sit at 5701 Peach Street, on the southeast corner of Peach and Biebel Avenue in Millcreek Township. The site is currently occupied by Roth Cadillac. It's across the street from the Millcreek Mall.

The Walnut Creek Hotel was also a tavern. There are three Erie Brewing Company corner signs on this wooden building, advertising beer, ale and porter. Kids who grew up in Kearsarge referred to this building as the 'Haunted House.'

There are three men in this photo, two on the porch (one in a white apron) and one standing next to the horse-drawn wagon. Unfortunately, there is no postmark on the postcard. At the turn of the century, Peach Street was called Edinboro Road, or the Erie and Edinboro Road. Biebel Avenue was called Zauniger Lane. (Zaunnegger St. now runs parallel to Peach St.)

My theory is that the Walnut Creek Hotel was owned by George and Mary Biebel. They were the parents of William and Edward Biebel. William died in his home at 5637 Peach Street on May 14, 1929. The headline of his obituary read "Well-known Kearsarge Merchant Succumbs at His Home." William and Edward owned a general store near the hotel. 

I'm hoping that one of the descendants of the men shown above will drop me an e-mail to solve this mystery. 

Enjoy more historic Erie, PA facts and photos at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com