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.

8th and State Street Bank and Library 1868 Erie, PA

The City Library was located on the southwest corner of 8th and State in 1868.

-ad in Erie Business Directory 1868-69.

This rare photo might look like Deadwood, but it's really the west side of Eighth and State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania circa 1868. The large building at 804 State St. is the Walther Block, a three-story brick building. It was the home of the Second National Bank, the Y.M.C.A. and the City Library and Reading Rooms. You could tie your horse up to a hitching post out front. State Street was a giant mud hole, so a wooden walkway stretched across the street on State and on 8th St. Gaslights illuminated the street at night.

"The Second National Bank was organized December 12, 1864, with a capital of $300,000. William L. Scott, President; Joseph McCarter, Vice President; W. C. Curry, Cashier. This bank is on the southwest corner of State and Eighth streets, and its present officers are Joseph McCarter, President; W. W. Reed, Vice President; C. F. Allis, Cashier." -Bates History of Erie County, PA.

The City Library was located upstairs of the Second National Bank. "This library was opened to the public November 14, 1867, and now contains about 4,000 volumes, nearly all new books, embracing the choicest  works in the departments of History, Religion, Biography, Poetry, Arts, Science, Natural History, Classics and Fiction; also a large collection of encyclopedias and other books of reference. All new books which are worthy of a first-class public library, are added as fast as published.

This Library is a monument to the liberality of our public spirited citizens (whose names may be found in the subscription book at the Librarians desk). It is under the control of a committee of eight persons, four of whom are chosen from among the members of the Young Men's Christian Association, and four from the subscribers to the library fund who are not members of the association. By paying $5 any person may have the use of the library for one year.

The Reading Rooms are free to all. The tables are well supplied with newspapers, magazines, pictorials and periodicals from every section of the United States and Europe. These rooms are frequented by the literary of both sexes, and are supplying a great want, long felt in this city, viz., a proper place of resort for our young men." -Erie Business Directory, 1868-69.

The Young Men's Christian Association was organized in 1860. Officers in 1868 included Charles C. Shirk, President; E. L. Pelton, Vice President; Charles E. Gunnison, Recording Secretary; C. W. Lytle, Corresponding Secretary; John L. Russell, Treasurer; A. H. Caughey, Librarian; H. S. Jones, Assistant Librarian; A. L. Littell, Jr., Acting Librarian, and a board of seventeen directors." -Erie Business Directory, 1868-69.