Holy Trinity Parochial School

Old Time Erie photo contributed by Tom DiLuzio.

Holy Trinity Parochial School was located near the corner of 22nd and Reed Street in Erie, PA. It sat between Holy Trinity Catholic Church (2220 Reed St.) and the residence of the Felician Sisters. 

Holy Trinity School closed in 1997. Thousands of students passed through its doors. A parking lot has taken the place of the school. 

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Erie PA Centennial Coin 1895 Reverse

The City of Erie, PA held Northwestern Pennsylvania's Greatest Celebration on September 10th and 11th, 1895. 
In addition to parades and decorations, the city issued a collectible bronze token with the majestic old city hall on the obverse.

The reverse of the token, pictured here, was a tribute to Oliver Hazard Perry and his heroic role in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. As his flagship Lawrence was sinking on Sept. 10, 1813, Perry boarded a lifeboat which was rowed to the Niagara. Perry sent the victorious message to his commander, "We have met the enemy, and they are ours."

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Coins were also issued for the Perry Sesquicentennial in 1963: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2013/03/perry-sesquicentennial-1963-carnival.html

Amity Inn Bar With Neon Koehler Beer Sign

Amity Inn photo courtesy of Tom DiLuzio.

The Amity Inn on West 26th Street in Erie, PA had a pretty cool bar setup in 1943, as you can see in this photo. The most impressive feature was a neon Koehler Beer sign hanging right in the center, above a nice display of flags from around the world. Look to the right and you'll see an antique blade fan on top of an old oak refrigerator with glass doors. Some of the other features in the picture include a Calvert calendar, a Planters Salted Peanuts display, bags of popcorn and beef jerky, and a nice, shiny bar. There is a wide assortment of liquor on display, including bottles of Union Town and lots of other names that are too small to decipher. 

Joseph Ferraro owned the Amity Inn, which was located at 1334 West 26th Street in Erie. Guy Lombardo had dinner there in 1946.

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Erie Transitway Mall near 8th and State

Old Time Erie: Transitway Mall photo ©Debbi Lyon 2013.

This is what State Street looked like in May of 1987 in Downtown Erie, PA. The City of Erie wanted to make the downtown area pedestrian friendly, so the sidewalks were widened and benches and planters were installed a number of years prior to this. There were several permanent chess boards in this area, and it was common to see people deep in thought planning their next move. I took this shot in front of the First National Bank of Pennsylvania at 717 State St., looking south. The Warner Theatre, at 811 State St., is visible in the background, as is Methodist Towers.

"Conceptually, the mall was a product of the Downtown urban renewal efforts of the late 1960s. Its purpose was to re-energize the traditional downtown creating an exciting atmosphere for both office workers and shoppers. There was a strong feeling that this mall and complementary renewal activities would stem or even reverse the drain of retail from the City center. It did not work." -2000 Edition of the City of Erie Land Use Plan. Prepared by the City of Erie; assisted by Graney, Grossman, Ray and Associates.
Old Time Erie
Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield currently occupies the old First National Bank Building. The chess boards and and the benches are gone, removed when the Erie Transitway Mall was ripped out in 1993 to widen State St. The Warner Theatre still stands in all its splendor, a tribute to the rich history of the City of Erie.

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