Friday Oct 14th, 2022
As Halloween draws near, we are reminded of the legend of General “Mad Anthony” Wayne’s bizarre story of his death, likely from gout, on December 15, 1796, at the American fort at the site of the modern Wayne Blockhouse.
Wednesday Oct 12th, 2022
John Nolen writes quite a bit about the public and private buildings in Erie, and very little of it is complimentary. That is unfortunate, but really, I understand. Strangely, one of my greatest pleasures before COVID was paying my property tax in person. Lauren, who worked in the city tax office was always a good sport when I came in. (I’m sorry Lauren ☹) I would have my check in hand, wear black, and loudly comment on here I was in the “architectural gem” City Hall paying my money. Now, don’t get me wrong, I believe in paying for fire and police protection and schools. It was just my comment that I was entering such an ugly building to do so.
Friday Oct 7th, 2022
I first saw this recipe listed on The Henry Ford website. The website lists it as a recipe from 1890, and states the cookbook was created as a fundraiser by the ladies of a church in Ohio, and was published in several editions.
The flavor combination of the tomato, peppercorns, cinnamon and clove are delicious. It’s a recipe that’s very simple but it comes together very well.
Wednesday Oct 5th, 2022
Sometimes we learn from the past, often we do not. Nolen’s book on improving our city devotes many pages to the waterfront. In 1913, when Nolen compiled his study, the area was a total, chaotic mess. On page 49 of his book, he writes “The great hope of Erie for the future is its waterfront. At present, however, the waterfront and harbor of Erie contribute very little indeed to the business development of the city or to the pleasure of its citizens.” Haven’t we all heard those similar words spoken in the not so recent past? The GAF site along the bayfront has been discussed for years.
Friday Sep 30th, 2022
With a large group of men off to war during WWII, women were joining the workforce to aid in the war effort. The typical role of the American woman up to this point was to be married, have children and be a homemaker while her husband was at work. Though not all women followed this path, it was the expectation.
Wednesday Sep 28th, 2022
It is not often that I learn something about a topic I really enjoy in Erie history, but it happened! I have been reading John Nolen’s “Plans and Reports for the Extension and Improvement of the City” and the section “railroads” caught my eye. If you have been a regular reader of this blog, you may realize that I like trains. I learned that in 1913, five railroads went through the city: Lake Shore & Michigan Southern; Philadelphia & Erie; Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie; New York, Chicago & St. Louis and the Erie & Pittsburgh. The tracks were located in four places in town: 14th Street, 15th Street, 19th Street, and the west half of 12th Street then going down along the waterfront towards the docks.
Friday Sep 23rd, 2022
Would you be surprised to know, Erie had a cruise ship tethered to the Public Dock, known today as Dobbins Landing? First, a little background on the ship itself.
Wednesday Sep 21st, 2022
John Nolen was hired in 1913 to improve the city of Erie for a prosperous future and begins his recommendations by telling us what we did right. His first topic were the streets.
Friday Sep 16th, 2022
Theodore Maximilian Nagle, namesake of the Nagle Engine and Boiler Works of Erie, Pennsylvania, was born in Germany in 1840. In 1923, he penned a short book entitled Reminiscences of The Civil War. The book is a detailed account of Nagle’s regiment, the 21st New York Volunteers in the Civil War. In 1914, Nagle also penned a small booklet or pamphlet detailing the regiment’s role in the disastrous Battle of Fredericksburg, Virginia in December, 1862.
Wednesday Sep 14th, 2022
As I continue this series on all things that make for living a long and happy life in Erie County, I have stumbled across a book that I have been wanting to read for many years. Although the title may scare away a casual reader of local history, I am sure that readers of this blog will find the contents fascinating. It is called “Plans and Reports for the Extension and Improvement of the City” written in 1913 by City Planner John Nolen (1869-1937). I mentioned Mr. Nolan in Blog #94 on GE and Lawrence Park. I have read that he was the first American to identify himself as a “city planner” and studied landscape architecture under Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. (who designed New York City’s Central Park among other places). Nolan consulted on plans for more than 25 cities in the country and Erie was one of them.
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