Blog

Without a full-time archivist on staff right now, occasionally things cross my desk that ordinarily would not.  For example, about 2 months ago I received a telephone call from a gentleman in Shreveport, Louisiana, who just purchased a scrapbook that he felt should come home to Erie. 

It is the goal of the Erie County Historical Society to serve our entire community.

Join Jerry Skrypzak as he discusses Erie, Pennsylvania and it's roots in the United States Navy.

Parents have always worried about their children – perhaps those worries have just changed a little over the course of history.  The title of this blog about “long life” was certainly a worry for parents before the advent of vaccines and modern medicine.  In 1900, 30% of all deaths in the US occurred in children 5 years old or younger.  Today, it’s a little over 1% of deaths (National Center for Health Statistics). 

In the year 2020 it is a time to reflect on where we are as a nation. Over the past several years, Civil War monuments across the United States have been removed, torn down and vandalized, particularly in the American South. 

In 1888, Erie had a reputation (second to perhaps Brooklyn, New York) of being a “City of Churches”.  You cannot drive anywhere in this community now without passing another magnificent structure. I found out that it was not always the case here.

On December 15, 1796, General “Mad” Anthony Wayne died at the small army fort in Erie, Pennsylvania located overlooking the entrance to Presque Isle Bay. The cause of death is listed as complications from gout. Wayne was buried beneath the floor of one of the fort’s blockhouses. There his remains would rest for 13 years.

2020 has certainly been a unique year.  From a fundraising perspective, it was anything but business as usual.   This year has presented many challenges for ECHS to support its $1Million operation budget. 

It took three years of hard work to reach the goal of our first auction and it was a huge success!  Held October 15^th at Ploss Auctions in Corry, it took a quick 4 hours to sell the approximately 600 large objects that the Erie County Historical Society decided to remove from our collection.  

Join paranormal author Stephanie Wincik for a presentation of local legends and terrifying ghost stories, all set against the backdrop of the region’s rich history. For those with an interest in the supernatural side of Erie and Erie County, Wincik combines mysterious tales of the paranormal with accounts of true historical events from Erie County’s past.