Erie Rat Trap by Lovell Mfg Co

Old Time Erie: Lovell Mfg Co ad from 1890 Erie Evening Herald

Look out, Bay Rat. Steal my cheese and you're a goner. There's nothing humane about the Erie Rat Trap or the Choker Mouse Trap, both of which were made in Erie, PA at the Lovell Manufacturing Company. Founder Melvin N. Lovell passed away in 1895, but his legacy lives on. The Lovell factory, now called Lovell Place, still stands at 153 East 13th St. The footprint of the old factory, which is bordered by French St., East 13th St., Holland St. and East 14th St. still stands, and it's a pretty impressive piece of real estate. 

In addition to eradicating vermin, Lovell's also made clothes ringers, step ladders, cash registers and roller bearings. The Choker Mouse Trap was a wooden block turned on a lathe into a circle with four holes on the perimeter. When a mouse stuck its head in the hole in search of a treat, it was in for a rude awakening when the wire snapped. The inside of the mouse trap was hollow, so you just picked it up to dispose of the dearly departed.

The Beatty Museum in Beatty, Nevada has a neat history of the Lovell Wringer Washer at: http://www.beattymuseum.org/lovell_wringer.html

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