Earl Lawrence Taught Many Musicians

Earl Lawrence taught music to thousands of people in Erie County before he passed away in 1969. He was so popular that the Fairview High School Class of 1942 dedicated their yearbook to him. He retired as a high school teacher in 1951.

Mr. Lawrence was born in Erie, PA in 1881 and was the son of John and Emma Lawrence. He graduated from Erie High School in 1901. Earl was an inspiration to many students, a number of whom went on to become professional musicians. Bruce Morton Wright and Mary Alice Brown were prodigies. Harry T. Burleigh was a personal friend, and he stayed at the Lawrence home at 221 West Front St. when he visited Erie.

Earl was highly respected in the local community. "Mr. Lawrence spent many years as a performer in bands of various types in dance halls, parks, hotels, and in the homes of prominent Erie citizens." Learn more details about the life of Earl Lawrence at: Erie African American Wiki

Enjoy more facts and photos about the rich history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie

Get The Lead Out

This spring I was pleasantly surprised with a box of old pens and pencils that advertised old businesses in Erie, PA. The ten pencils shown here were collected by Ralph Schaffner, who owned and operated gas stations in Erie and Wesleyville. 

The items shown above were probably given free to customers as advertising for the stores and businesses. Included in this batch of ten pencils are: 

Hinkler & Applequist Excavating- Heavy Hauling
Marquette Savings Association, 920 Peach St., Erie, PA
TC Sales and Service, 1516 Buffalo Rd, Erie PA (Tom and Pat Chambers)
Perry Mill Supply Company
Barker - Peck - Sima Realtors, 812 West 29th St., Erie PA
First National Bank of Pennsylvania
A. Duchini, Inc., 24th and Brandes and 5600 block of West Ridge Rd.
Tellers Organ Company, Erie PA (fine pipe organs since 1906)
Recoe Hearing Aid Center, 1837 West 26th St., Erie, PA
Northwest Mutual Savings Association

Who knows what treasures lurk in your attic.

Find more unusual Erie items at: Old Time Erie

Quaint Cartoons About Erie PA

Erie County sits in the northwest corner of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Did you know that the Erie Triangle was claimed by Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts?

The PA Department of Commerce published a booklet called "Quaint and Interesting Cartoons about Pennsylvania" which gave a few tidbits about Erie, PA.

• Erie County is home to Presque Isle State Park.
• So many grapes are grown in Harborcreek and North East that you can see and smell the vineyards while driving across Route 20 at harvest time.
• The Erie Triangle was purchased for 75¢ an acre.
• Ships used in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812 were built in Erie, PA.
• George Washington visited Waterford, PA in 1753.

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Top 40 Erie Industries in 1950

As I was coming home last night on East 12th Street, a couple of things caught my eye. The setting sun looked like a blazing ball of fire in the sky. The three smokestacks were a sad reminder of the old Hammermill Paper Company on East Lake Road. I turned north on Downing Avenue and captured this scene just before the sun disappeared below the horizon 

The stacks also got me thinking about what a great manufacturing town Erie, Pennsylvania was. Coincidentally, I found a list of the principal industries of Erie in a 1950 publication. Thousands of skilled workers were employed in these shops. Just a handful of these businesses remain.* See if you can name them.

Alsco, Inc. made aluminum windows and doors
American Sterilizer Company
Henry Althof & Sons specialized in iron and iron works
American Hollow Boring Co. made forgings
Bliley Electric Company
Bucyrus-Erie made steam shovels
Burke Electric Company made motors
Bury Compressor Company made compressors
Cascade Foundry Company made castings
Continental Rubber Works made rubber goods
Erie Brewing Company made beer
Erie City Iron Works
Erie Concrete and Steel Company fabricated steel
Erie Forge Company made machinery
Erie Foundry Company made machinery
Erie Malleable Iron Works
Erie Meter System made meters for gas station pumps
Erie Plastics Company made radio parts
Erie Resistor Corp. made radio parts
General Electric Co. makes locomotives
Griffin Mfg. Company made hardware
Hammermill Paper Company made quality writing paper
Hays Mfg. Company made brass  products
Jarecki Mfg. Company made valves and fittings
Johnson Metal Products made metal items
Kollman Mfg. Company made sewer and drain cleaners
Lord Mfg. Co. made rubber mountings
Lovell Mfg. Co. made wringer washers and mouse traps
Metric Metal Works made gas meters
National Erie Corporation made machinery
Nosco Plastics manufactured items out of plastic
Nubone Company made items for undergarments
Odin Stove Company made stoves
Pelham Electric Manufacturing
Penn Brass and Copper
Perma-Lite Displays made neon tubing for signs
Protane Corporation made items for gas
Reed Manufacturing Company
Skinner Engine Company
Standard Stoker Inc.
Talon Inc. made zippers
U. S. Printing & Lithograph Company made circus posters
Wayne Brewing Company made beer
Weil-McLain Company made radiators
J. A. Zurn Company

*some companies merged with others or operate today under a different name

Enjoy more facts and photos of Erie, PA at: Old Time Erie

The Wish Book- Dahlkemper's Catalog

The Dahlkemper's catalog was one book that teenagers would read without complaining. The giant Wish Book that would barely fit in the mailbox. We would spend hours looking at every item, page by page, making a mental list. Heck, I just spent an hour looking through one of the catalogs, reminiscing about the old days.

You could get everything at Dahlkemper's. A ring with your birthstone, an lcd watch, kitchenware, a Sony Walkman, Black & Decker tools. Furniture, folding card tables, a Packard Bell 386SX computer with 1 MB of ram and a 2400 Baud internal modem. Giant Bell South cordless phones, Cobra CB radios. A Sony Watchman portable TV player. DP exercise machines. Tents and sleeping bags. Presto electric heaters. Every board game imaginable, including Monopoly, LIfe, Scrabble and Clue. Lots of Little Tikes toys for kids. 

I had to chuckle while looking through the 1985 catalog, where I saw a Sunbeam toaster that we still use everyday. I also saw a Hoover Decade 80 vacuum cleaner that lasted for 24 years. A Pentax K-1000 35mm camera that probably still works (along with various other pre-digital camera gear that I haven't used in several years).

Dahlkempers had a number of stores at its peak. The corporate headquarters was located at 5120 Peach St. in Erie, Pennsylvania and they had retail stores in the Eastway Plaza and the Millcreek Mall. It's too bad that this retail department store is no longer in business because it was a fun place to shop. There were sample items on the sales floor. If you found an item that you wanted to purchase you would grab a clipboard from a pillar, fill in the order number of the item on a pick form, and take it to the sales counter. You would get paged when the item was pulled from the warehouse. 

Joseph B. Dahlkemper founded the Dahlkemper's chain.

Enjoy more facts and photos of Erie, PA at: Old Time Erie

Ariel Building at 8th and State

The Ariel Building sat on the northeast corner of 8th and State Street in Erie, PA. At ten stories high, this building towered above others in the same block. It was completed in 1917 and stood for a mere 53 years before falling victim to the wrecking ball. Pittsburgh architects Arlen & Harlow designed this building, which was just shy of 150 feet, and very narrow.

The Erie Lighting Company occupied the lobby and second floor of the Ariel Bldg. when this photo was taken in 1924. Real estate agents Harper & Russell had an office on the third floor. Architect C. Paxton Cody was on the fourth floor. Attorney Isador Sobel had offices on the seventh floor. Andrews Land Company was on the eighth floor and attorney John Rilling was on the tenth floor. 

The number of floors is a little bit misleading, because there was a basement, a lobby and a mezzanine under the second floor. By 1968, about half of the offices were vacant.

The Ariel Building was within walking distance of the federal courthouse and the Erie County Courthouse, making it the ideal location for attorneys and real estate agents. 

This building was torn down in 1970. Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield at 717 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania currently occupies this site.

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Koehler's Neon Sign and Clock

Old Time Erie: Koehler clock photo ©John Baker 2013.

Stark. Bold. Stately. The old Koehler clock on State Street. How sad it was to watch this old sign suffer a slow and agonizing death. Its paint peeled. Rust dissolved the iron. The hands stopped turning. Time stood still. No one seems to remember the exact day when the Koehlers first flipped the switch. It lit up the skyline for many years.

The old red and white building at 2121 State St. was constructed in 1863, at a turbulent time when the Civil War was in full swing. The brewery was established in Erie, Pennsylvania by the Koehler family in 1847. The Erie Brewing Company sold the Koehler brand to C. Schmidt and Co. of Philadelphia in February of 1978 and stopped brewing beer in Erie. The five building complex sat vacant from '78 until it was leveled in the spring of 2006.

Did you know there were several Koehler beer references in the movie That Thing You Do featuring Tom Hanks? Click the movie title for a cool article with stills from the scenes in the motion picture.

Reminisce about the old days at Old Time Erie

GE Built 3,000 Volt Locomotives

Old Time Erie GE publicity still contributed by Jack Sheehan.

The train pictured above packed a lot of power when it was completed on November 3, 1927. This 3,000 volt electric locomotive was made at the General Electric plant in Lawrence Park. This workhorse was made for the Paulista Railway Company in Brazil. There are more than two dozen men pictured with the final product, each one playing a part in its design and assembly. It would have taken a mighty crane to set the parts of this 150 ton behemoth up on blocks, and then to roll it off onto the railroad tracks.

Tom Sheehan is on top of the cab, the fifth man from the right. Tom lived at 1052 Rankine Avenue in Lawrence Park with his family. He rose to the rank of foreman and died in 1947 following an illness. GE made quality products in Erie County, Pennsylvania that were sold to customers all over the world. There was a time when two or three generations from the same family worked at GE. This photo may have been taken in Building 10. GE Transportation Systems is on Eastlake Road between Water Street and Franklin Avenue. Its one of the largest employers in Northwestern Pennsylvania.

Enjoy more facts and photos of Erie History at: Old Time Erie

Accidental Pawn Shop Shooting

She was told not to touch it, but she couldn't resist.

"Laura Trusky, who lives at No. 438 East 14th St., yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock learned a lesson which she will not soon forget and will never again handle in a careless manner, a loaded revolver. Her carelessness nearly cost her life.

She and her escort went into Althof's pawnshop on Turnpike, near State Street, to look over some things. The lady saw the revolver lying on the counter, and picking it up began toying with it, telling her friend she was going to shoot into the ceiling. He told her to be careful of somebody would get hurt.

Suddenly there was a report and the girl gave a shriek. Blood flowed from her left arm and breast. Her companion hurried her to the office of Dr. A. Z. Randall who probed for the bullet in vain, and dressed the wound. The ball had passed through the forearm and caused a slight wound in the breast. The fleshy part of the arm stopped the force of the bullet and saved the girl's life.

After the young lady had been sent to her home, Dr. Randall found the bullet lying on the floor. It probably did not penetrate the flesh, being stopped by the clothing. The young lady/s condition is not serious, but her escape from instant death is next to marvelous." -Erie Evening Herald, Monday, May 23, 1904.

Dr. Alvin Z. Randall had an office at 1606 Peach St. in Erie, Pennsylvania.

I have two questions...
What ever happened to Laura Trusky?
Why would someone leave a loaded revolver on a counter?

Enjoy more interesting facts about Erie PA at: Old Time Erie

Top 10 Oliver Hazard Perry Sites

Old Time Erie photo by Debbi Lyon.

Oliver Hazard Perry was the victor in the Battle of Lake Erie and was a pivotal figure in the War of 1812. Here my list of Top 10 Oliver Hazard Perry sites in Erie County, PA, some of which were named in his honor (in no particular order).

 1. Perry Square. Make this your vacation destination. Lots of events are centered here.

2. Oliver Hazard Perry statue (show here). Located on the east side of Perry Square. Perry points south and helps drivers navigate around the park.

3. Perry's flagship, the Brig Niagara. A must see, especially when she is under full sail coming through the channel.

4. Perry Monument. Located on Presque Isle State Park. Dedicated September 10, 1926.

5. Perry Elementary School, 955 West 29th St. Opened in 1913.

6. Perry Street runs north/south on Erie's east side.

7. Perry Plaza. On Broad St. on Erie's east side. Opened June 5, 1952

8. Perry Highway. Route 19 in Waterford, Erie County, PA. 

9. Perry Memorial Building. On 2nd and French St. in Erie, across from the entrance to the UPMC/Hamot emergency room. Also known as the Dickson Tavern.

10. Commodore Perry Yacht Club and Perry's Landing Marina. A tip of the cap to Erie's maritime history with these two west bayfront businesses.

Enjoy more fun facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

Old Erie Achievement Center Bldg

This cool brick building on the southeast corner of 6th and French St. has had three major tenants since it was built in 1914; the Achievement Center, Erie Insurance and the C.F. Adams Company. 

Charles F. Adams, the original owner, had a popular household goods store and had offices here. "This building was undoubtedly designed by an architect who was familiar with Tudor Gothic and Romanesque styles of architecture in their various expressions. At least the influence of these styles are clearly shown in this handsome building, showing a fine red tile roof and carefully laid walls. Much neatness is displayed in the surroundings and setting of small shrubs." In 1914, Charles was the president of the company (he died in 1923 and was buried in the Erie Cemetery). Louis T. M. Slocum was 1st vice-president; William Brown was 2nd VP; Harry L. Smith was secretary; Burr Lathrop was treasurer and J. A. Slocum was a traveling auditor.

Erie Insurance moved into this building at 101 East 6th Street in 1938. It was their home in Erie, PA until they needed more office space. Erie Insurance moved into its current headquarters across the street in 1956.

The Achievement Center occupied this site from 1956 until 2013. The building has a lot of character. It is across the street from Perry Square and the old Erie Public Library building.

You can donate to the Achievement Center by clicking here

Learn more about Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie

Warner Bros. Top Retailer 10th and State

Warner Brothers Dry Goods and Carpets was located on the northwest corner of 10th and State in Erie, PA in 1888. Their business was located in the Scott Block, an ornate building owned by W. L. Scott. 

Edwin L. and W. S. Warner began their career in 1852 as clerks for Cadwell & Griswold. The men then partnered as Griswold & Warner, then Bell & Warner (in 1860) and Warner Bros. in 1866.

"The front portion of the magnificent first floor store-room is devoted to the display of dry goods of every description, for which the house is famous- silks, woolens, linens, cottons, laces, ribbons, embroideries, trimmings, ladies' and gentlemen's furnishing goods, notions, etc. The rear is utilized for cloaks and curtains, which are shown in endless variety. The basement, tastefully arranged and perfectly lighted, contains at all times the largest and most valuable stock of carpets, rugs, floor oil cloths and kindred goods in this market, embracing everything salable, from the cheapest American to the most gorgeous Persian and Turkish fabrics."

Edwin L. Warner, who was born in Oneida County, NY, died on September 27, 1905 and was buried in the Erie Cemetery.

The Scott Block, at 930 State St., was five stories tall with a footprint of 60x150 feet and was said to be fireproof when constructed. This building played a prominent role in Erie history. It was later home to the W. T. Grant Co., which held its grand opening on November 8, 1924. Fireproof? Not quite. Grant's lost $300,000 in merchandise when the Scott building went up in flames on Dec. 20, 1944

Enjoy more Erie PA history at: Old Time Erie

Al Singer's State Street Market

Ad in Erie Morning News, April 26, 1972.

Al Singer's State Street Food Market was located at 1013 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania for many years. Owner Albert Singer offered a wide variety of fresh meat and produce along with pre-packaged cans, cookies, paper towel, soap and other household items. 

Singer's Market was located on the first floor of the old Forman Building, which still stands. 

Specials in April of 1972 included ground chuck for 79¢ per pound, spareribs for 59¢ a pound, boneless rump roast $1.19 per pound, center cut pork chops for 69¢ per pound and whole or half hams for 69¢ a pound.

Enjoy more fun facts about Erie PA at Old Time Erie

Baldwin Building at 10th and State in Erie

This skyscraper at 1005 State Street is one of the most recognizable structures in Erie, PA. My generation knows it as the Baldwin Building, but it's now called Renaissance Center. 

Tom Weber penned the best description of this structure:

"Boldly vertical, at once massive and sleek, the fourteen-story building boasted all the modern conveniences- fireproof construction, high-speed elevator service, refrigerated drinking water- when it opened in May of 1926. Besides housing the main office of the Erie Trust Company, it provided space for more than 250 offices and four stores, a total of 109 thousand square feet at a cost of one and a half million dollars.

Designed by New York architects Dennison and Hirons, and built by the Henry Shenk construction company of Erie, the city's tallest building was so strongly reminiscent of Manhattan that Erieites began nicknaming the intersection it dominated 'Times Square.'

In keeping with the Modernistic tradition, Dennison and Hirons held ornamentation to a bare minimum. But they were not without a sense of humor; the arched entrance to the banking hall is decorated with a wonderful carved stone frieze depicting tiny gnomes and gremlins busily counting bags of money." -from Erie Style (be patient when viewing- it takes awhile to load). Used with permission of Tom Weber Films

I have a number of fond memories of this location. I worked for the U.S. Dept. of Commerce out of the Baldwin Building during the 2000 Federal Census. I used to by stamps from a man who had a small shop in the building around 1976-77. Who can forget Greg's Place, the restaurant we ate at in the basement during the 1980s. Reid's newsstand was owned by a relative of my husband. 

I also have one strange connection to the building that goes back much further. My great-grandfather had a heart-attack and died in the Pennsylvania State Employment office on the fifth floor of the Baldwin Building on April 30, 1948. I discovered that tidbit when I was researching my family tree and found his death certificate and an article in the newspaper.

Erie Trivia: There are actually two Baldwin Buildings in the postcard shown above. I'll show a full view of the other one in a future post.

Enjoy more facts and photos of historic Erie PA at: Old Time Erie

Ice Harvest on Lake Erie

Old Time Erie: postcard courtesy of Tom DiLuzio.

Harvesting ice on the lake was an annual event in Erie, PA. As you can see from the postcard shown above, it took a lot of physical effort to cut and pull chunks of ice out of the water. There are about nine horses and two dozen men in this shot. 

In 1905, it took two weeks for local companies to collect enough ice to last through the summer and fall and early winter. Blocks of ice were delivered house to house in the days before electricity powered in-home refrigerators. 

"The Union Ice Company concluded the work of harvesting its supply on Friday (Feb. 10), after having gathered into its houses 25,000 tons, or sufficient for its business for two years. The second crop, for the first time in over a decade, was cut from the bay off the foot of State street, being the finest quality of ice ever harvested, of an average thickness of 12 inches, and of a crystal clearness.

The Mutual Company has harvested between 12,000 and 15,000 tons, having its house filled to repletion. With the crop harvested by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and other concerns will bring the total quantity of ice gathered off the bay this winter close to 75,000 tons.

In gathering the crop upwards of 500 men were employed at least two weeks. 

The union scale prevailed: 
Polers, the men who float the cakes through the channels, $1.75 per day
Plowmen, $2.00 per day
Feeders, $2.25 per day
Packers and Foremen, $2.50 per day

Ice harvesting comes as a godsend to a number of men who are out of work at this particular season, and the wages earned assist materially in tiding many families through this winter." -Erie Evening Herald, February 14, 1905.

Here's a different postcard view of Harvesting ice on the bay in Erie, PA

Enjoy more facts and photos of Erie PA at: Old Time Erie

How To Lose Your Driver's License

Ever wonder what you had to do to lose your driver's license back in 1966? You've come to the right place. The answers can be found in the pamphlet "This Is The New Pennsylvania Point System For Driving Violations" issued by the PA Dept. of Revenue's Bureau of Traffic Safety.

You could receive a mandatory suspension for committing one of the following crimes: using a motor vehicle for the commission of a felony, driving under the influence of alcohol or driving with a suspended license.  

But there were many other ways to have your driving privileges revoked. Here's how it worked. Violations were assigned points based on the severity of the offense and the number of offenses. For example, after you amassed eleven points or more, you would lose your license for 60 days for the first offense; 90 days for the second one, and 120 days to one year for each subsequent violation.

Here's a breakdown of some of the points:
Reckless driving...5 points
Driving too fast for conditions...5 points
Driving through a stop sign...5 points
Driving through a traffic light...5 points
Exceeding speed limit in a school zone...5 points
Passing a school bus- loading or unloading...6 points
Driving 11 to 15 miles over the speed limit...6 points
Improper passing on a curve...6 points
Driving 16 to 20 miles over the speed limit...6 points and 15 day suspension
Driving 21 to 29 miles over the speed limit...6 points and 30 day suspension
Driving 30 miles and over the speed limit...6 points and 60 day suspension
Driving through Wesleyville...priceless (Just kidding!!!)

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New Grant's Store at 9th and Peach

The new Grant's store at 9th and Peach Street in Erie, PA opened on August 5, 1954. W. T. Grant, the store's founder and namesake, was in town for the grand opening and Erie Mayor Thomas W. Flatley cut the ribbon. 

"Curious crowds, anxious to witness the new landmark in Erie's downtown shopping center pushed against the doors this morning in an effort to be among the first to take advantage of the many unique bargains planned for family shoppers during the opening week."-Erie Dispatch, Aug. 5, 1954.

Grants no longer has any stores in Erie; there were 500 locations in the chain in 1954. The store at 9th and Peach was built by the Henry Shenk Co. According to the Dispatch, this building was the largest in the Grant's chain, and it had a mile and a half of counter space. Grants was close to the Gannon College campus and easily accessible to shoppers by car and local bus routes at a time when people regularly shopped in Downtown Erie.

Grant's opened its first Erie store in 1916. Here's a more recent item about the store: Grant's 1972 ad

Learn more about the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie

Skinner Engine Company 12th and Chestnut

The Skinner Engine Company was located at 337 West 12th St. Most of the buildings shown in this A. Hintenach illustration still stand near the corner of West 12th and Chestnut Street in Erie, PA. Security-Peoples Trust Company released a cool booklet in 1946 called "There's Security in 'Erieland." The following description of the company appeared in that publication.

"Skinner Engine Company, founded in 1868 by its first President, LeGrand Skinner, built the first poppet-valve Unaflow Steam Engine in this country. Today, in its 77th year, under the direction of J. LeGrand Skinner, its third President, Skinner Engine Company is the largest exclusive builder of steam engines in the United States. The original Skinner Engine is here illustrated.

American industry grows great over the decades, inspired by the credo...'long after the price has been forgotten, the quality proves the value of the product.' Thus Skinner has sold its famous Universal Unaflow engines for use in land-bound business and industry in the four corners of the world...and for ships that sail the seven seas. Reliable statistics show that 50% of all Unaflow engines built in this country have come from the Skinner Plant."

Enjoy more facts about the City of Erie, Pennsylvania history at: Old Time Erie

Deming Lumber on McKinley Ave in Erie

Alton A. Deming started a lumber business in a small building on McKinley Avenue around 1898. He came to Erie, PA from Warren County, PA about ten years prior, where he had learned the carpentry business. Alton learned about the retail trade from his uncle, W. H. Deming, who had operated a planing mill and lumber business at 11th and French St. in Erie for many years.

Alton's business was very prosperous, and he soon outgrew his original building. When he expanded in 1912, "he made plans for a large two-story warehouse and millworking plant and has erected since a brick, concrete and steel structure building with a floor space of thirty thousand square feet, and having the unloading capacity of seven carloads of lumber at one time...Traveling lumber salesmen state that they have never seen its equal and are astonished at the great progressive lead taken by Mr. Deming in housing all his stock."

"He has a large enclosed room for the storage of doors, windows, stair work, porch columns, etc., of all sizes and descriptions. On the large open platform on the second floor he has a large stock of yellow pine and oak finish lumber for immediate delivery, such as jamb stock, casings, base, stair treads, stair risers, stair stringers, wainscoting, ceiling, etc." -Erie Magazine, January 1914. George W. Bauschard was the superintendent of Deming Lumber.

Most of the building pictured above still stands, including the original structure , which anchors the southern end of the warehouse on McKinley Ave. The eastern part of the building meets the overhead bridge on Buffalo Road. You can see the buildings from the Eastside Bayfront Connector.

Alton Deming and his wife Flora lived on the northwest corner of 21st and East Avenue and could see the lumber business from their front porch. Their house still stands at 960 East 21st St.. Alton Deming died on June 11, 1920 and was buried in the Erie Cemetery.

Enjoy more historic facts and photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie