The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • Erie City at Twilight

    I managed to take a short drive around Erie during the time I was there.

    The Bicentennial Tower on the waterfront.
    The best view I could get of the brig Niagara since the maritime museum was closed at the time.
    The Erie Land Lighthouse.
    High and dry.
    The beautiful Russian Old Rite Orthodox Church.

    The following two historic homes were moved and reconstructed on their current sites.

    VON BUSECK HOUSE — C. 1815
    This saltbox-style farmhouse was built c.1815 in west Millcreek on what is now known as 5021 West 38th Street, south of Wheaton Road. The land was owned by Irish immigrant John Nicholson (1764–1828), and the family of John Wheaton owned the building for a time. For over 150 years it was owned by Louis Von Buseck (1812–1893) and his descendants. Louis was born Ludwig Heinrich Von Buseck in Germany, the second son of Baron Carl Philip Von Buseck.

    The Von Buseck House.

    HON. JUDAH COLT HOUSE — C. 1820
    One of Erie County’s earliest citizens, Hon. Judah Colt (1761–1832), settled at what is now known as Colt Station in 1796. He moved to the Borough of Erie in 1804 as the agent for the coun­ty’s first land developer, Pennsylvania Population Company. Colt served as burgess of Erie in 1813 and 1820–1821. He built this Federal-style house c.1820 at the southwest corner of East 4th and French streets where he entertained the Marquis De Lafayette (1757–1834) on June 3, 1825. This was also home to his nephew Thomas G. Colt (1805–1861), the last Bur­gess and the first mayor for the city of Erie. The house was moved to 345 East Front St. in 1890.

    The Judah Colt House.

  • One of the Jewels of the State Park System (and a bonus)

    Presque Isle State Park is a 3,200-acre sandy peninsula that extends into Lake Erie and is the state’s only “seashore.” It offers a beautiful coastline and many year round recreational activities, including swimming, boating, fishing, hiking, bicycling, and in-line skating. It is a significant birding hotspot. The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is near the entrance to the park.

    The neck of the peninsula is attached to the mainland four miles west of downtown Erie. The peninsula creates Presque Isle Bay, a wide and deep harbor for the city of Erie. The bay attracts many pleasure boats and worldwide freight traffic, making Erie an important Great Lakes shipping port.

    A National Natural Landmark, Presque Isle is a favorite spot for migrating birds. Because of the many unique habitats, Presque Isle contains a greater number of the state’s endangered, threatened, and rare species than any other area of comparable size in Pennsylvania.

    The North Pier Lighthouse.
    The Presque Isle Lighthouse.
    These structures take the term ‘houseboat” literally.
    The Perry Monument
    Some views of wetland habitat that are so valuable for birds and other critters.

    West along the shores of Lake Erie is the 587-acre Erie Bluffs State Park. The park offers one mile of shoreline, 90-foot bluffs overlooking Lake Erie, and access to Elk Creek, a shallow stream steelhead fishery. Significant natural features include several plant species of conservation concern, uncommon black oak woodland/savannah habitat, Great Lakes region sand barren ecosystems, and forested wetlands.

    The Elk Creek access area provides fishing and boat launch areas.
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