Baby It's Cold Outside!

Brrrr! There was more than an icy chill in the air when this photo was taken in the winter of 1947. Can't you feel that wicked wind whipping across the Public Dock? You would expect to see that kind of action out on Lake Erie, but not in the protected bay between the Presque Isle State Park and the foot of State Street. It looks like the dock is about to be submerged into the bay.

The eastern seaboard was pummeled by a three-day snowstorm from Thursday, February 20 through Saturday, February 22, 1947, causing at least 53 deaths. Erie native Marie Olsen took this picture at the Public Steamboat Landing during that storm. It's lucky that she didn't get blown across the ice and into the water by one of those gusts, which were recorded at 55 miles per hour in Buffalo, NY. Seven hundred and forty-eight flights were cancelled at La Guardia Airport over the weekend. Ten inches of snow fell in Pittsburgh. New York City and Washington, D. C. each got seven inches of snow. Some areas of Pennsylvania had drifts that were almost four feet deep, bringing travel to a standstill.

Many things have changed since 1947. The Public Steamboat Landing is now called Dobbins Landing. And you can now check the weather from the warmth of your home by checking out the local news or the Weather Channel on TV or the Internet (or TV on the Internet). But one thing never changes. You still need a parka, gloves, boots and a shovel to survive an Erie winter.

Enjoy more photos of Erie, PA, the Winter Wonderland, at: Old Time Erie

Tall Ships Erie 2013 Celebration

Thousands of tourists are in town this weekend to enjoy Tall Ships Erie and to celebrate the 200th Anniversary of the Battle of Lake Erie. I have never seen so many cars lined up on the Bayfront Highway, practically at a standstill from State Street to the East Bayfront Parkway. Motorcycle police were directing traffic at several intersections as people tried to find a good spot to view the Tall Ships Parade of Sail. A black and white helicopter patrolled the channel and shoreline, while big, puffy white clouds accented the blue sky.  

I see the Niagara so much that I take it for granted. Shame on me. When I walked past the window at work last night, I stopped for a moment to take a picture. I had forgotten how spectacular our sunsets are here in Erie, PA. And this sunset was even more spectacular with the Brig Niagara in the foreground. This view repeats practically every night when the Niagara is not touring the Great Lakes promoting maritime history.

Ten ships took part in Tall Ships Erie, and tours were available for a small fee. I walked around with a few co-workers on our lunch break amidst a sea of 5,300 children from schools in Erie, Crawford and Warren Counties. It's amazing that the teachers were able to keep track of them all.

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

Hamot Hospital and the Public Dock in 1929

Photo from the Hamot Hospital Association 49th Annual Report.

Hard to believe that UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania had such humble beginnings, but this 1929 photo shows what a difference eight decades can make. The hospital, which was formerly known as Hamot Hospital and Hamot Medical Center, is located at 201 State St.

The Hamot campus has grown by leaps and bounds, and so has lower State Street. The old Public Steamboat Landing, which is visible in the middle left of this picture, is now the Bicentennial Tower at Dobbins Landing. The trolley tracks in the middle of State Street are long gone. The Peninsula is visible on the horizon.

Here's a 1910 photo of Lower State Street.

Find more old photos of Erie, PA at Old Time Erie