Top 5 Facts about Erie, PA in 1929

Top 5 Facts about Erie, PA in 1929

1. There are 550 industrial plants, the third city in the United States in diversity of industry. Leads the world in the production of boilers, engines, wringers, gas-meters, electric locomotives, steam hammers, power equipment and appliances. Crowding the leaders in the manufacture of steam shovels, paper, hospital and sterilizing equipment, pipe tools, electric motors, stoves, hinges, pipe organs and chemicals.
2. Area of the City is 20.5 miles. There are 250 miles of streets, 172 miles of paved streets. 210 miles of sewers.
3. It is well lighted at night, having over 300 incandescent lights of various candle power, 1,700 pendant arc lights and 500 ornamental arc lights.
4. The standard of living of the citizens is high, 67 per cent of them maintain savings accounts and over 45 per cent own their homes.
5. 32 public schools and more being built. A school system second to none. 18 parochial schools of high caliber. *Note: facts are from the book Officials City of Erie 1929, published in Erie, Pennsylvania.

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Warner Theatre 1957 Show of Stars Concert

Warner Theatre 1957 'Show of Stars' concert in Erie, PA

The ad on the left is for the 'Show of Stars' Nov. 13, 1957 show at the Warner Theatre in Erie. The ticket stub
on the right is from the 'Show of Stars' at the Warner on April 23, 1958. Courtesy of Nancy Schaffner Coake.

I was amazed the see the line-up for this show at the Warner Theatre in Erie, Pennsylvania on Nov. 13, 1957. DJ Alan Freed put together this package, which toured the U.S. and Canada. The performers only had one day off during the first 24 days of November! The tour hit Detroit on the Nov. 10th, Pittsburgh on Nov. 12th, Boston on Nov. 15th, Toronto on the 18th, Buffalo on the 19th and Philadelphia on the 20th.

This tour featured some of the hottest acts of the day, some of them at the start of their careers. Fats Domino was blazing hot. He had nine Top 100 hits during the first eleven months of 1957, including "I'm Walkin'" which peaked at #4, and "Blue Monday," which reached #5. Frankie Lymon and the Teenagers' "Goody Goody" debuted in July of 1957 and peaked at #20. You can watch a clip of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kld4z6ZgyHc. The Everly Brothers first hit, "Bye Bye Love" debuted in May of '57 and spent 27 weeks on the Billboard chart, peaking at #2. Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFoIdxLBm_A (Phil Everly died on January 3, 2014.)

This line-up is mind-blowing! Buddy Holly and the Crickets, Eddie Cochran, LaVern Baker, Buddy Knox, the Drifters. Man, I was born too late. The next time I watch the Buddy Holly Story, Why Do Fools Fall In Love (about Frankie Lymon), I'll think about them performing at the Warner in Erie, PA. Here's a clip of Eddie Cochran singing his first hit, "Sittin' In The Balcony," which debuted on the chart in March of 1957: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fbqp6ryEsbw

On a side note, here's a link to the Canadian documentary about Paul Anka, which we had to watch in Mrs. Burgoyne's English class at Academy High School in Erie, PA.  http://www.nfb.ca/film/lonely_boy 

The "Show of Stars" came back to the Warner on April 23, 1958. We'll discuss that in another post. 

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Dee's Cigar Store 18th & Peach in Erie, PA

Dee's Cigar Store on 18th & Peach Street

Dee's Cigar Store on 18th and Peach. Photo by Chester Wasielewski ©Debbi Lyon 2012.

You may not remember that Dee's Cigar Store used to be near the corner of 18th and Peach Street before this was demolished for the construction of the Holiday Inn. The address for the corner store was 1729 Peach, and 1725 Peach was next door. The Redevelopment Authority demolished the entire section across the street between Peach and Sassafras, from 18th Street north to the railroad tracks, for the construction of the Central Mall. This shot shows the northeast corner of 18th and Peach Street. Dee's was the second store north of the corner. Dee's current address is 1705 State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Erie Sailors 1948 Roster Ainsworth Field in Erie, PA

Erie Sailors 1948 Roster Ainsworth Field

Erie Sailors' Roster from a game at Ainsworth Field in Erie, PA.

The Erie Sailors played Class C ball in the Middle Atlantic League in 1948, when they were a minor league farm team for the New York Giants. The team included pitchers Walter Cox, Bill Peters, Joe Bastan, Charley Pipher, Joe LaCroix, Joe Galioto and Walter Nebor. Ziggy Jasinski played for the team during the 1947 and 1948 seasons. The Sailors made their home in Erie, Pennsylvania. The players hailed from New York, Detroit, Baltimore, St. Louis, Holyoke, Atlantic City and St. Paul, Minnesota. 

To learn more about the Erie Sailors, be sure to check this Baseball Reference Site.

The booklet for this game was about the size of a comic book. I had a color cover and contained a scorecard in the middle. Palace Hardware, Gorenflo and Johnson Lumber were long-time Erie businesses that advertised with the Sailors.

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