P.A. Meyer Fire State Street Erie, PA part 1

P.A. Meyer Fire State Street, Erie, PA pt. 1

P.A. Meyer & Sons aftermath of fire. Photo by Chester Wasielewski. ©2012 Debbi Lyon.

P.A. Meyer & Sons was located on State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania, in between the Warner Theatre and Trask's department store (which was torn down and replaced by Mid City Towers, shown on the right in the  picture above.) P.A. Meyer's caught fire in the winter and was completely gutted.

See the article "Warner Theatre State Street about 1965" for a photo of P.A. Meyer's before the fire: P. A. Meyer before the fire. This article was published on Old Time Erie blog on May 21, 2012.

Bruce Moorhead was a rookie on the Erie Fire Department when the call came in. "Got called in on Friday night, around 7 p.m., got relieved Sunday morning at 7 a.m. I believe the snorkel froze with the basket hanging out over the burnt out building," said Bruce. "That was one h--- of a cold night." He responded from Station 8 at 23rd and Ash Street.

The building that formerly housed P. A. Meyer & Son caught fire on Friday, January 27, 1978. By that time State Street had been changed to include a pedestrian friendly shopping area as part of the Erie downtown redevelopment under Mayor Louis Tullio. The planters shown here are barely visible with all the snow plowed up against them.

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

Warner Theatre State Street about 1965

Warner Theatre State Street about 1965

Warner Theatre photo by Chester
Wasielewski, © Debbi Lyon 2012.

This shot of the Warner Theatre at 811 State Street in Erie was taken about 1965. The movie on the marquee is "Your Cheatin' Heart" starring George Hamilton as Hank Williams, Sr. 

The remainder of the stores, from left to right, are:

815 State St. ?

815 1/2 State St. Household Finance Loans

817 State St. P.A. Meyer & Sons 

827 State St. Trask's 

The Warner Theatre has been restored to its glory days and many special events are held here, including concerts, dance recitals, high school graduations and weddings. The Floral Gallery is next door at 815 State St. There are law offices at 821 State St. Mid City Towers occupies the corner where the old Trask's department store used to be. Mid City Towers, which has an address of 12 East 9th Street, has several businesses on its ground floor. P.A. Meyer was destroyed by fire and later demolished.

Here are some Erie movie theater ads from 1948.

Enjoy more fun facts and old photos of Erie, PA at Old Time Erie