Teddy Roosevelt Spoke in Erie PA

You wouldn't know that Theodore Roosevelt was a two-term ex-president by reading this ad for a speaking engagement in Erie in 1914. Roosevelt was heralded more for his role in the Spanish-American war than he was for his political acclaim as the 26th President, whose terms lasted from 1901 to 1909.

"With occasional bursts of vigor of former days, and with an old throat trouble weakening his voice, Colonel Roosevelt made his second entrance into the campaign in Pennsylvania yesterday, with three speeches in Erie county. He talked at Girard, Erie and North East. His audiences were typically Rooseveltian. He came here from Chicago last night and rested at Jamestown, where he re-entered a campaign in New York state.

Leaving a Lake Shore train at North Girard shortly before noon, in company with Hugh C. Lord and Henry Hinrichs, Jr., of Erie...Colonel Roosevelt launched immediately into a whirlwind five hour trip across the county. He talked to about 800 persons at North Girard and whisked through Girard, disappointing about 300 residents  gathered in a park to hear him.

Colonel Roosevelt arrived in Erie about 1 o'clock. He was immediately taken to private apartments engaged for him at the Lawrence Hotel, where he had dinner. By this time crowds began gathering and within a half hour it is estimated that four or five thousand persons were jammed in the streets and on the Academy grounds, originally selected for Mr. Roosevelt's speech." -Erie Dispatch-Herald, October 21, 1914.

Hugh C. Lord was the founder of Lord Corporation. Henry Hinrichs, Jr. was the president of the Erie Board of Trade and the owner of the Keystone Fish Company.

Enjoy more facts and photos of historic Erie, PA at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com

West 10th Street, Times They Are a Changing

Here is a cool shot of Tenth Street, taken from the middle of the block between Peach and Sassafras, in Erie, Pennsylvania, looking east. The old Lawrence Hotel is the tall building on the left. The sign for Shea's Theatre is visible just beyond the Lawrence.

The Baldwin Building (now the Renaissance Center) is the light colored building on the horizon on the right side of the photo. The YMCA is the tall red building on the right. The State Department of Public Welfare was located at 103 West 10th Street for many years before the building was demolished. This building is shown on the far right of this postcard.

An eagle-eyed reader pointed out this interesting fact: "If you look on the right you can see the bowsprit of the old Eastern Shore Restaurant, which eventually moved to West Lake Road and became Barnacle Bill's Eastern Shore." [Thanks, J. H.!]

Yes Virginia, the Erie Daily Times was located on West 10th Street before the company built a new facility on West 12th Street to this location: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/11/bessemer-railroad-12th-and-sassafras.html

Here's a photo of Shea's when it was known as the Majestic Theatre: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/majestic-theater-and-scott-block-erie-pa.html

Grants and Peach Street from 8th to 10th Erie PA

Taken from the top of the parking lot at 8th and Peach by Jeffrey
George in late 1967 or early 1968. Photo ©Jeffrey George 2012.

Postcard of the Second National Bank on 9th & Peach.

The photo of the W. T. Grant Co. in Erie, PA (shown above) was taken in late 1967 or early 1968 by Jeffrey George from atop the parking lot at 8th and Peach. Cars in the bottom right side of the picture are traveling north on Peach Street. The back of the old Lawrence Hotel is clearly visible on the right side of the photo.

Grants was a huge retail store that had entrances on West 8th Street, Peach Street and at 18 West 9th Street. You could cut through the building instead of walking outside in the rain or snow and come out on the other street. Sounds like a nightmare for security.

To help with the orientation, I've included a postcard of the old Second National Bank, which was located on the southeast corner of 9th and Peach. It was still standing in 1967 and was used as a women's clothing store. You can see the side of the old bank in the top photo. The postcard also shows the back and side of the old Lawrence Hotel, which was demolished around 1968 (the Avalon Hotel currently occupies this site). Peach was a two-way street when the postcard was released.

The side of the Baldwin Building/Renaissance Center is also visible in the photo above; it's the second tall building from the  left. The side of Kresge's is visible directly below the Renaissance Center building. (The building that housed Kresge's still stands, but it is covered in mirrors.)

Here is a shot of the front of the Lawrence Hotel: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/jfk-kennedy-at-lawrence-hotel-in-erie.html

The old Grants building still stands at 18 West 9th Street. It's now the home of GECAC.

JFK Kennedy at the Lawrence Hotel in Erie PA 1960

The Hotel Lawrence was demolished in 1968.

The Lawrence Hotel sat on the northwest corner of 10th and Peach Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. Henry Shenk built the Lawrence in 1913.

John F. Kennedy, then Senator Kennedy, gave a campaign speech in front of the Hotel Lawrence on September 28, 1960 which began with the words "Governor Lawrence ladies and gentlemen, does not anyone ever go to school in Erie?" You can read the text of his speech here. 
Thousands of people crammed the streets to see the future President of the U.S.A. on West 10th Street near Peach. The Erie Daily Times devoted most of the front page of its final edition on Sept. 28, including six articles; '40,000 Greet Kennedy in Erie.' Ed Wellejus wrote 'Wild Reception Given Nominee in Appearances.'

Kennedy was on a hot streak, having just debated Richard Nixon on national TV two nights prior to his appearance in Erie. Watch a clip of the debate here: Watch a clip of the debate here. Adoring fans met Kennedy at the airport. Schools were closed, as were some businesses, so people could attend the downtown rally. JFK was elected president a few weeks after his Erie appearance.
Here's another view of the  Hotel Lawrence, the Majestic Theater and the Scott Block.

Erie Daily Times, Sept. 28, 1960.

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

Majestic Theater and Scott Block Erie PA

Majestic Theater and Scott Block on West 10th St. Photo courtesy of Erie Police historian Ken Sidun.

The Majestic Theater was built in 1904 at 18-24 West 10th Street in Erie, PA. It was just west of the Scott Block and was located on the north side of Tenth St. between Peach and State. The Majestic was also known as the Perry Theater and most recently was Shea's Theater.

None of the buildings shown in this photo exist today. The Majestic was demolished in 1967.

The Lawrence Hotel, on the corner of 10th and Peach Street, is the first building on the left. The Lawrence was built in 1913 and was demolished in 1968.

The Scott Block, shown on the right in this photo, was built in 1875 and was demolished in 1969. It was owned by W. L. Scott. The Hilton Hotel occupied the site of all three buildings in the 1980s, stretching from State to Peach on West 10th St.

Brush up on the history of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie

How Different is Erie from 1927?

-ad in Erie Dispatch-Herald, July 6, 1927.

The Andrews Land Company placed an interesting advertisement in the Erie Dispatch-Herald on July 6, 1927: "How Different is the Erie of 1927 From the Erie We Knew in 1910."

The article states: "What a difference a few years make in the growth of a city! In 1910 Erie had no Lawrence Hotel. Remember? There was no Marine Bank Building- no Second National Bank Building- no Commerce Building. The Ariel Building, the Palace Hardware Building, have been built since 1910.

And the beautiful Erie Trust Company building was not completed until this year. In 1910 there were very few residences west of Cascade Street. There was almost no houses west of East Avenue- and only a few scattered groups of homes south of 26th Street.

Central High School was regarded in 1910 as our leading educational institution. But since that time five new and beautiful high schools have been built- East High, Wilson High, Lincoln High, Academy High, and Roosevelt High. And another new high school is planned for West Eighth Street.

The entire General Electric Company plant; almost all of the Hammermill Paper Company plant, and more than half of the newer manufacturing plants in Erie have gone up since 1910.

More than 12,000 new homes have been built since 1910. And many new grade schools, new churches, and additions to Hamot and St. Vincent's hospitals.

That's progress!"

Find more facts and old photos of Erie, Pennsylvania at Old Time Erie