10th and State circa 1908 Looking South

Tenth and State St. in Erie, PA, looking south, around 1908. Postcard courtesy of Ken Sidun.

This drug store was located on the southwest corner of 10th and State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania around 1908. You could purchase cut glass, hand-painted China and novelties at 1002-1004 State St. Ostheimer had a clothing store next door at 1006 State St., and Charles Beck was next door to the south. O'Conner's had a storefront to the left of the large American flag. A number of stores had racks out front so they could showcase the items they sold.

This is a nice example of the varied brick and block work that was crafted by skilled laborers in so many old time Erie blocks.

Here is a picture of the same side of State Street in Erie, PA, taken around 1893, but it was taken from 11th Street, looking north: http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/11th-and-state-street-1893-erie-pa.html

Loblaws 6th and East Ave circa 1935 Erie PA

-newspaper clipping of Loblaws circa 1935.

When I think of Loblaws, I remember big supermarkets spread out around Erie. Judging by this picture, it looks like the Loblaw chain had humble beginnings. The store shown here was located at 528 East Avenue. It had been the Fred Eisert grocery in the 1920s.

This building no longer exists. This stretch of East Avenue, which was across the street from Wayne School, became part of the street when East Lake Road was re-alligned to connect with East 6th Street.

Loblaw had thirteen stores in Erie County, PA in 1974. http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/09/loblaws-had-13-erie-pa-grocery-stores.html

Lee Aaron played Erie in 1984

-ad in Showcase/Erie Daily Times, May 17, 1984.

This post is a special request from a reader in Sweden, who wrote: "This is a bit of a long shot, but will give it a try. I have an old bootleg video with Canadian rock singer Lee Aaron (The Metal Queen) recorded at some club in Erie in 1984 and I'm trying to find out where it was shot. The sound quality isn't that good on the video, but she says something like 'Down here at Change's in Erie, Pennsylvania tonight.' Was there a club called Change's/Chance's or something similar in Erie around that time? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Best regards. Johan www.leeaaron.se Lee Aaron fan page."

Changes was located at 3619 McClelland Avenue in Erie, PA. Lee Aaron played on May 18-19, 1984 as part of her U. S. tour. If I had to make an educated guess as to who filmed her show, I would say it was probably Eddie DeDionisio.

The Erie metal band Satin Steel played Changes on May 17, 1984.

Changes had several different names over the years, including the Place, the Hullabaloo, Gadsbys and the Alternative. It was right between Skaterie Roller Rink and Eastland Bowl.

Lincoln Funeral Train in Erie PA

President Abraham Lincoln died on April 15, 1865 several hours after he was fatally shot by John Wilkes Booth. A train bearing the president's remains toured the country on its way from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, IL. The Lincoln Funeral Train stopped in Erie, Pennsylvania on Friday, April 28, 1865.

The people of Erie, PA knew the train was going to travel through Erie on its way from Buffalo, NY to Cleveland, OH, but due to a mix-up, they were told that the train was not going to stop here.

Erie Mayor Fernando F. Farrar wrote a letter which was published in the Erie Weekly Observer:
"While acknowledging with profound humiliation the absence of a proper demonstration of respect on the part of this city to greet the remains of President Lincoln on their arrival here last Friday morning, justice to our citizens who have ever delighted to honor the lamented patriot while living, and who have second to none in heartfelt devotion to the memory of the distinguished dead, requires publicity of the fact that in the midst of preparations for the mournful occasion they were informed by a Superintendent of the Cleveland & Erie railroad that the funeral escort had made a special request that no public demonstration be made at his place, in order that their committee might have rest and repose. Acquiescing with this unauthorized request is therefore the true cause of the apparent national discredit attributed to this city.
(Signed) F. F. Farrar, Mayor."

Telegraphed reports in the Erie Daily Dispatch accounted for every stop made along the route of the Lincoln Funeral Train. When the train reached the New York/Pennsylvania border at 1:32 a.m. on April 28, 1865, a contingency from Erie, Pa boarded the train to escort President Lincoln's remains to the station at Erie. The escorts included: Erie Mayor F. F. Farrar; George W. Starr, the president and one of the founders of the Erie Forge Company; Bethuel B. Vincent (father of Col. Strong Vincent); businessman E. P. Bennett and Jacob F. Walther; and Lt. Commander Francis A. Roe from the U.S.S. Michigan. 

The train reached Erie, PA at 2:50 a.m. on April 28th. "There was no particular demonstration at this place. The employees running this train are the same who were on the train that brought the late president to this point."

The Erie Weekly Gazette later reported: "Under the auspices of Major Scott, a demonstration was made at the Lake Shore Depot in Erie, on the arrival of the funeral cortage of President Lincoln about 2 o'clock on Friday morning. The city bells were tolled, minute guns were fired, etc. A much larger number of persons would have been present but for a misunderstanding with prevented timely notice."

Lincoln stopped in Erie,  PA on February 16, 1861 on the way to his first inauguration in Washington, D. C. http://oldtimeerie.blogspot.com/2012/11/abraham-lincoln-in-erie-pa-1861.html