10th and State 1893 to 1938 Merger

Ever wonder what it would be like to step back in time and see a shot of the City of Erie before and after side by side? I know I have, so I tinkered around on the computer to see what I could come up with. I started with a photo of the west side of State just south of Tenth Street then found one taken from approximately the same spot 45 years later. The Scott Building, shown here on the right, was the home of Grant's for many years on the northwest corner of 10th and State. 

So, we have two views, one from 1893 and the other from 1938. Downtown Erie has changed considerably, especially at this intersection. State looks very muddy in the old shot, and the trolley tracks are visible in the middle. There's a man wearing a jacket and a bowler hat strolling by on the left, and there are a couple of large stones near the curb that were used as carriage steps; one is near the telephone/telegraph pole.

In the "new" picture on the right, there are some cool old cars heading south on State St. (one might be a '36 Chevy). There are a lot of well-dressed pedestrians shopping for items on a sunny afternoon. The dark color building on the southwest corner of 10th and State was the old offices of the Baldwin Bros. real estate company. 

Click here to see the original 1893 photograph.

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