Gannon College ROTC Dale Hall French Street in Erie

Gannon College ROTC Dale Hall French Street in Erie, PA. Photo by Chester Wasielewski. ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

If you looked out the east window of the Reference Room at the Erie Public Library on Perry Square, you would see the Gannon College ROTC Building at Dale Hall. This building was demolished a number of years ago. Cars used to travel around Perry Square in the opposite direction of the current traffic pattern.

The photographer was standing in the road on South Park Row near the Federal Courthouse facing east.

The ROTC building is in the background in this picture: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/07/elks-club-on-state-street-in-erie-pa.html

Elk's Club on State Street in Erie, PA

Elk's Club on South Park Row and State Street. Photo by Chet Wasielewski, ©2012 Debbi Lyon.

Notice anything unusual about this picture? 

• Cars used to travel in the opposite direction around Perry Square
• The Elk's Club at the corner of South Park Row and State Street has been demolished
• The Earle Hotel is no more
• There were beautiful, tall trees in Perry Square
• The new City Hall in Erie, PA was not yet built

The image that you see above was taken from the curb near Gannon's Old Main (the old Strong Mansion) on 6th and Peach Street looking east.

Here's a photo looking down at the Elk's Club from the Richford Arms Hotel.

Here's a shot of the Elk's Club sign from 7th and State before it was razed.

The Elk's Club is included in a list of the Top 100 Clubs in Erie in 1959.

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

Two Books for You- Erie Public Library in 1899

Two Books for You- Erie Public Library in 1899

Postcard of the old Erie Public Library on South Park Row in Erie, PA.

The old Erie Public Library building sat on the corner of South Park Row and French Street, in Erie, Pennsylvania. The library was dedicated on February 16, 1899. The original tenants of this building were the Erie School District’s administrative offices, the Public Museum, the Public Library and the Art Club of Erie.

In 1899, the rules were very strict: 

• Two books may be taken out at one time, provided one only is fiction
• Works of fiction may be retained seven days; other books fourteen days
• Marking, writing in, turning down the leaves of, or otherwise defacing books is prohibited. Under the law, any willful damage to Library property renders the offender liable to a severe penalty
• When a book is due, notice will be mailed to the delinquent. If not promptly returned, a messenger will be sent for it, and a fine of twenty-five cents imposed 

In 2012, the rules are not so strict:

• One hundred items may be taken out at one time (with limits on DVDs, CDs and Playaways)
• Magazines and DVDs circulate for one week, best sellers for two weeks, books for three weeks

The library moved from the old location in Perry Square to a new building at 160 East Front Street, where the grand opening was held on December 23, 1996. The Blasco Memorial Library is definitely not your grandmother's library. The old library building on South Park Row is now part of the Federal Courthouse complex for the U.S. District Court, Erie Division.

Here is a plea from the library trustees from 1898.

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

Boston Store & Elk's Club on State Street in Erie, PA

Boston Store and the Elk's Club on State St. Photo by Chester Wasielewski, ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

The Boston Store & the Elk's Club

Ever wonder what the view was like from the upper floors of the Richford Arms Hotel? Well, now you know what it looked like before the new City Hall was built. The Elk's Club sat on the southwest corner of State Street, back when South Park Row traffic headed east instead of west. You can see the old City Hall on the right side of the photograph. The Boston Store is the big beige building in the center of the photo; it's clock tower is clearly visible. All the buildings between State and Peach, from South Park Row to West 7th Street, were demolished to make way for the new City Hall.

The Elk's Club shown here was the old Erie Trust Company Building.

Here's an older shot of the Boston Store from around 1932: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/08/state-street-boston-store-circa-1932.html

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