Tour Top Historic Sites in Downtown Erie

Charles M. Tibbals lived in this Greek Revival home at 146 East 5th Street more than 170 years ago. Tibbals was the founder of the Chicago & Erie Stove Company, which manufactured the "Invincible," an award-winning, ornate coal burning stove that heated many a parlor throughout the United States. This red brick house is a testament to his wealth and keen attention to detail.

Did you miss your chance to tour this beautiful home, and nine other nearby properties, this Thursday, Sept. 26th? The Erie County Historical Society coordinated this self-guided tour, which included sites owned by Erie Insurance. Many of the buildings pre-date the Civil War. Tickets are $10 each.

Ten sites on State and French Streets, from 3rd to 6th Street, were included on the itinerary. They included the Cashier's House and Erie History Center, Chandlery Corner (4th and State), the Dickson Tavern (2nd and French), Pierre S. V. Hamot House (3rd and French), Sullivan's Pub, O'Donnell House (4th and French), St. Patrick Catholic Church (130 E. 4th), the H. O. Hirt Building (East 6th) and the F. W. Hirt Building on the corner of 6th and French. On street parking is generally free after 6 p.m. downtown.

(On a side note, I almost called this post "The Trouble With Tibbals" but I wasn't sure how many of you were Star Trek fans and watched the episode about tribbles.)

Enjoy more fun and fascinating facts about Erie, Pennsylvania at: Old Time Erie

Meet Under the Clock at the Boston Store

Old Time Erie photo of the Boston Store by John E. Baker, used with permission.

I'll meet you under the clock at noon. If you grew up in Erie, PA, you know the exact location of "The Clock." The clock was on the main floor of the Boston Store at 718 State Street. The ultimate retail shopping experience. A place where you could go with your mom or grandma. A place where you could meet your friends for a quick bite to eat. You could take the escalator to the mezzanine and watch all the people scurrying about on the main floor. 

The incredible photo shown above was taken by former Boston Store employee John E. Baker around 1961, looking east toward State Street. The Boston Store had multiple entrances, and when it was raining or snowing people often cut through the store to get to the opposite street. The main floor had a high ceiling with incandescent lighting, which is captured in the picture of the store. The pillars were identified by letter, starting with "A" near the State Street entrance. Each department had a sales person and a cash register.

The Boston Store is on the National Register of Historic Places.

What do you remember about the Boston Store? If you would like to leave a comment, click on the title of the post above. You can then type your comment into the white box near the end of the article. Can't wait to read your memories!

Here's an old Boston Store shopping bag: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/02/shopping-my-closet-boston-store-bag.html

Reminisce about Downtown Erie at: oldtimeerie.blogspot.com

Exchange Building on North Park Row in Erie PA

Postcard of the Exchange Building on North Park Row courtesy of Tom DiLuzio.

Commercial Italianate Architecture on North Park Row

by Tom Weber

"Built in the 1860s, the row of elaborately ornamental commercial buildings extending along North Park Row and State was the showplace of downtown Erie in the Civil War era. Rounded window openings on the ground floor, elaborate window moldings on upper floors, projecting cornices and elaborately shaped pediments carried out the Italianate tradition.

The district was anchored by two outstanding buildings- the Exchange Building on the corner, and the 'Marble Front,' now Purcell's Hardware [in 1982]. A variety of businesses and offices occupied the block, including Marine Bank and Dr. John Carter's pharmacy, birthplace of the internationally known 'Little Liver Pills.'

Below street level, their entrances surrounded by ornamental iron fences, were a series of smaller shops. Further west on North Park Row stood the Park Opera House, considered one of the finest entertainment halls between New York and Chicago.

By the 1920, however, the hub of commercial activity had moved even further south, and the Exchange Building and its neighbors underwent change and deterioration...Jewelers, clothiers and bankers moved their businesses uptown, and a succession of transient owners altered the district's stylistic integrity.

In 1979, the district was incorporated into the National Register of Historic Places, marking the beginning of a period of restoration in Erie's most valuable nineteenth-century commercial block." -used with permission of the author. Check out Tom Weber's latest creation, Troubadour Blues: http://www.troubadour-blues.com

The address of Marine Bank, shown in the postcard above, is 518 State St. in Erie, PA. The Exchange Building still stands and is located in Perry Square.

Here is one of the run-down businesses to the west of the Exchange Building: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/07/erie-restaurants-panos-new-york-lunch.html

Here's the Greyhound Station, also on North Park Row: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/10/greyhound-station-at-perry-square-erie.html

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