Baby It's Cold Outside!

Brrrr! There was more than an icy chill in the air when this photo was taken in the winter of 1947. Can't you feel that wicked wind whipping across the Public Dock? You would expect to see that kind of action out on Lake Erie, but not in the protected bay between the Presque Isle State Park and the foot of State Street. It looks like the dock is about to be submerged into the bay.

The eastern seaboard was pummeled by a three-day snowstorm from Thursday, February 20 through Saturday, February 22, 1947, causing at least 53 deaths. Erie native Marie Olsen took this picture at the Public Steamboat Landing during that storm. It's lucky that she didn't get blown across the ice and into the water by one of those gusts, which were recorded at 55 miles per hour in Buffalo, NY. Seven hundred and forty-eight flights were cancelled at La Guardia Airport over the weekend. Ten inches of snow fell in Pittsburgh. New York City and Washington, D. C. each got seven inches of snow. Some areas of Pennsylvania had drifts that were almost four feet deep, bringing travel to a standstill.

Many things have changed since 1947. The Public Steamboat Landing is now called Dobbins Landing. And you can now check the weather from the warmth of your home by checking out the local news or the Weather Channel on TV or the Internet (or TV on the Internet). But one thing never changes. You still need a parka, gloves, boots and a shovel to survive an Erie winter.

Enjoy more photos of Erie, PA, the Winter Wonderland, at: Old Time Erie

Commerce Building on State Street in 1926

I found this cool shot of State Street taken in 1926, so I took a break from my studies to write a new post. This photo shows the east side of State from 10th to 13th Street. The tall cream colored building on the left is the Erie Trust Company (later the Baldwin Building  or Renaissance Center) at 10th and State. It still stands. The tall building to the right is the Commerce Building at 12th and State, which has since been demolished. 

The sign for Lawrie Brothers Furniture, at 1207 State St., is partially visible. Reliable Furniture was located next door, at 1213-1221 State St. The Wayne Furniture Company, at 1223-1225 State, rounds off Erie's original Furniture Row. Erie Sea Food House was located at 1227 State, and Erie Window Glass Co. was on the corner of 13th and State (1229 State St.). 

The New Commercial Hotel was across the street at 1301 State, Schneider Hardware was next door at 1303 State, and Joseph Erhart sold harnesses, horse supplies, trunks, bags and leather goods at 1305 State St. Most of the buildings south of 12th Street still stand.

In case you're curious, I'm studying the human genome. Be thankful I'm writing about State Street rather than bombarding you with details of DNA, nucleotides, cytosine and histones. 

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

Baker's Bird's Eye View of Erie PA

Bird's eye view of Erie, PA ©John E. Baker 2012, used with permission.

This beautiful bird's eye view of the port of Erie, PA was shot by John E. Baker on July 4th. To help you get your bearings, Holland Street is on the left, parallel to State Street on the right. The Bayfront Highway runs between the two. Many of the places that we have visited previously on Old Time Erie are visible in this aerial photograph. Here are a few to get you started:

Oliver Hazard Perry steered the Niagara and the Lawrence through the channel to engage the enemy in the War of 1812: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/01/war-of-1812-dont-give-up-ship.html

The Penelec smokestack stands in front of the library: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/01/giant-smoke-stack-on-eries-bayfront.html

The old Hotel Ford still stands: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/ford-hotel-now-richford-arms-on-state.html

We can't forget the Boston Store: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/08/state-street-boston-store-circa-1932.html

Or Hamot hospital: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/01/hamot-hospital-and-public-dock-in-1929.html

The Perry Square library: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/08/old-perry-square-library-erie-pa.html

The Baldwin Building: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/08/state-street-palace-theater-and-baldwin.html

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

Hamot Hospital and the Public Dock in 1929

Photo from the Hamot Hospital Association 49th Annual Report.

Hard to believe that UPMC Hamot in Erie, Pennsylvania had such humble beginnings, but this 1929 photo shows what a difference eight decades can make. The hospital, which was formerly known as Hamot Hospital and Hamot Medical Center, is located at 201 State St.

The Hamot campus has grown by leaps and bounds, and so has lower State Street. The old Public Steamboat Landing, which is visible in the middle left of this picture, is now the Bicentennial Tower at Dobbins Landing. The trolley tracks in the middle of State Street are long gone. The Peninsula is visible on the horizon.

Here's a 1910 photo of Lower State Street.

Find more old photos of Erie, PA at Old Time Erie

State Street at Night Hanging Out at the Public Dock

State Street at night from the Erie Public Dock. Photo by Debbi Lyon ©2012.

Here's a time-lapse photo of State Street from the observation deck of the Public Dock in Erie, Pennsylvania around 1985 or 1986. The dock is now known as Dobbin's Landing. This shot looks south on State. The dock was a popular place to hang out on the weekend for lots of teens and young adults. On a warm night you would find locals and tourists sitting on the trunks and hoods of cars or going for a stroll along the edge of the dock. You can see McAllister & Son on the left (the white building) and the old Penelec station in the upper left corner (now the Maritime Museum).

State Street Erie PA pre-Bayfront Highway

State St. in Erie, PA looking north to Public Steamboat Landing. Courtesy of Erie Police historian Ken Sidun.

Here's a gritty-looking shot taken around 1910 from the west side of State Street in Erie, PA near the spot where the Bayfront Highway cuts across State. The building on the left with 'Chew Honey Scrap' painted on the side was demolished, as were the smaller buildings in the foreground. The bow of the USS Wolverine sat in the park on the left before it was moved to a spot on East Front Street in front of the Maritime Museum. This photo was taken before the Wolverine was cut up for scrap. 

The low building on the east side of State Street used to sit at the northeast corner of State and East Front Street. It no longer exists, nor does the big building on the right which is partially obscured by a man walking past the photographer. 

There is a delivery truck belonging to Ed. Kraus on the right side of the photo. Edward Kraus started Kraus' Department Store at 810-816 Parade Street in Erie, Pennsylvania in 1886.

 A cobblestone street similar to the one in this photo, called Dobbins Lane, still exists off of State Street, just north of the office building at 100 State Street in Erie, PA.