6th and French St Savelli's Tavern Erie PA

East 6th and French St., Erie, PA. Photo by Chester Wasielewski, ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

Philip A. Becker constructed this building on the northwest corner of Sixth and French Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1872, a year before he served as the president of the Erie City Select Council. Erie Insurance occupies this corner today. The old building had a unique Mansard roof with porthole windows.

Savelli's Tavern was located on the first floor of the Becker building in the sixties. The Crazy Horse Saloon was located there in the late seventies/early eighties. The building was demolished in 1982. None of the buildings shown in this photo still stand today. Erie Insurance preserved four of the cast iron columns from the Becker building. They stand outside the French Street entrance to the company.

Perry Square is located on the left side of this picture, just out of view. This is a site you would have seen when you left the Erie Public Library on South Park Row.

Philip A. Becker served as Mayor of Erie from 1883 to 1884. He was born in Germany in 1835 and was the son of Jacob and Mary Bierle Becker. Philip operated a grocery store in the building shown above, with his sons Emil and Otto Becker.

Here's a picture of the Becker building with the top stories missing:
http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/crazy-horse-saloon-6th-and-french-erie.html

And a different shot of the southern end of this block:
http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/french-street-from-5th-to-6th-before.html

French Street from 5th to 6th before Erie Insurance

East side of French St. between 5th and 6th. Photo by Chester Wasielewski. ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

1880 view of French Street.

This photo of Downtown Erie starts about a quarter of a block up from East 5th and French Street and continues south to East 6th St. These buildings were demolished years ago and Erie Insurance currently occupies this site. The three-story building to the right of Buyer's Fair in the top photo can be seen in the small photo from 1880 on the right, when the building was painted white or yellow.

The space on the far left of the photo was employee parking for a downtown business. The D. C. Sullivan Co. (wholesale novelties) is the first building on the left, at 511 French Street in Erie, PA. The second building, at 515 French, was Buyers Fair, owned by the late Jack Lectner. The Perry Square Cafe (owned by George and Andrew Markopoulis) was located at 523 French St. There was a tavern at 531 French, on the corner of 6th and French.

The posts from the building on the far right were salvaged and still stand near the corner of 6th and French.

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