State Street from 7th to 8th, Mayo Leather Shop

The Mayo Leather Shop, located at 709 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, is shown in the lower left-hand corner of this postcard of Downtown Erie. The trolley ran right down the center of State Street when this shot was taken. There are lots of cars parked along the west side of State St. at right angles to the curb (too many fender-benders with parallel parking?).

Mayo Leather was owned by Henry Mayo. The company existed at 709 State Street as early as 1878 and was later owned by Maxwell Mayo. The Erie Sports Store had a location here after Mayo Leather. Read about early Erie leather manufacturers here: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/11/25th-and-ash-boot-factory-built-1871.html

Here is a view of the Mayo Leather building circa 1959 when it was occupied by the Erie Sport Store: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/05/erie-sport-store-at-709-state-street.html

The small stone building with the flag is First National Bank at 715 State St. The tall beige building was located on the corner at 729 State St.

None of the building shown in the first block on the left exist today, with the exception of the facade of the First National Bank Building, which was moved to East 26th Street.

The old Penn Building is the white building shown here on the southeast corner of 8th and State.

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield currently occupies the building at 717 State St.

8th and State Street Western Union Erie PA

Detail from a postcard of State Street in Erie, PA. Courtesy of Erie Police historian Ken Sidun.

Here is an early scene from State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania from the days when the trolley ran down the center of State St. The first building on the left is the First National Bank at 715 State St. The next building to the right (south) is 719 State St., which has a sign advertising a 'Big Expansion Sale.' The next building, with the 'Billiards' arrow overhanging the sidewalk, is Gravin's at 721 State St. The 'Western Union' sign overhangs the sidewalk at 723 State St. The next building is 727 State St., which was later the home of Duggan-Rider.) The Ariel building is the tall, skinny brick building at 729 State Street, which is the northeast corner of Eighth and State Streets.

The facade of the First National Bank building was moved to East 26th Street in Erie.

Palace Hardware is the taller brick building with the American flag above the trolley car

Here is a view of the 700 block of State Street from around 1967: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/duggan-rider-east-8th-and-state-erie-pa.html

Duggan-Rider East 8th and State Erie PA

Eastside of State St. from 7th to 8th. Photo by Chester Wasielewski. ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

Check out the giant camera perched atop the Duggan-Rider Office Supply Co. at 727 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania around 1967. If this scene does not look familiar, it's because most of these buildings have been demolished. (The facade of the smaller First National Bank building at 715 State St. was moved to 138 East 26th St. in Erie.)

The businesses that are visible in this photo, from left to right, are the Erie Sport Store at 709 State; First National Bank, 715 State;  Block's Billiards; Strub's Restaurant at 725 State St.; Duggan-Rider at 727 State St., Beneficial Finance Co. at 729 State St. Beneficial was on the southeast corner of 8th & State.

The buildings to the north of Erie Sport Store in the photograph above were torn down in February of 1969 to make way for the new Erie Sport Store building. The construction caused the collapse of 709 State Street, and damaged buildings at 713 and 715 State St. Six employees were inside the Erie Sport Store when it started to crumble on February 18, 1969. A construction worker ran inside to warn John 'Jack' Weber to get out of the building. "I yelled back one last time for anybody inside to get the hell out of there," Weber told the Erie Daily Times, "then I got out. Minutes later  the whole thing came down."

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield can currently be found at 717 State St. Here is a map of this block from 1950 which lists the names of all the stores.

Here is a picture of the east side of the 700 block of State

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