Bessemer Railroad 12th and Sassafras Erie, PA

Bessemer Railroad on West 12th Street in Erie, PA. Photo ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

The old Bessemer Railroad building stood on the south side of West 12th Street near Sassafras Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Times Publishing Company currently occupies this site. If you drive behind the Times building, you can still see a pair of tracks that lead to the south side of the building, where giant rolls of newsprint were delivered by rail car when the paper was printed in Erie, PA. The Times bought this property around 1968.

This shot was taken just off of Twelfth Street looking east. The Commerce Building is visible on the left side of this photo, with the radio tower on top of the building. The WSEE-TV tower, at 1220 Peach Street, is visible near the right side of the picture. About 90% of what you see in this photo has been demolished.

Erie Mayor Charles B. Williamson succeeded in having the railroad tracks ripped out for about a four-block stretch in this area on West 12th Street.

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

Craig Oil Co. Esso Stations 1933 Erie PA

-Ad in Erie Dispatch-Herald, July 21, 1933.

Craig Oil Company had two Esso gas stations in Erie, PA in 1933; one at 12th and Sassafras Street and one at 26th and French Street near Academy High School. They opened a brand new super service station on the southeast corner of East 6th and Parade Street on July 22, 1933. The company planned to open a fourth station at West 12th and Liberty Street in the fall of 1933.

John W. Craig owned the Craig Oil Co. He invited people to watch a free demonstration of a 5-minute oil change and get a free 8 oz. bottle of Coca-Cola just for visiting the new service station on July 22nd.

Craig Oil was an agent for the Standard Oil Company of Pennsylvania. The stations sold Essolene gasoline