Lawrence Park

By Marjorie D. McLean

Lawrence Park was planned, developed, and built by the General Electric Company in 1910, when the company decided to build their plant near Erie, Pennsylvania. However, Lawrence Park was not to be a company town, but rather a planned community in the "English garden" concept. The tree-lined streets, flowering boulevards, and delightful parks are a testimony to those visionaries. Around 1900, the elegant Grove House Hotel was built on the banks of beautiful Lake Erie, and later a lively amusement park flourished there. The Stone House, built in 1832 and rumored to be a station in the Underground Railroad, still stands at the crossroads. The early settlers of Lawrence Park laid the foundation for a caring community that today enthusiastically embraces school and community activities.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Release date: Sep 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781439624104

Marjorie D. McLean

Marjorie D. McLean, a retired Iroquois School District teacher and counselor, has done extensive historical research for Lawrence Park using the archives of the Lawrence Park Historical Society. The members of the society have worked diligently to preserve the history of Lawrence Park, and their archives serve as an invaluable resource.

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INTRODUCTION

Lawrence Park, a suburb of Erie, Pennsylvania, owes its existence to the General Electric Company. In 1907, Frances Pratt, who was looking for a site for a new General Electric Company plant, visited his friend Matthew Griswold of Erie, Pennsylvania. Griswold convinced Pratt to recommend the area that is now Lawrence Park. The General Electric Company planned not only a manufacturing plant but also a community where their employees could live in comfortable surroundings. This was not to be a company town but rather a town developed in the English garden concept, with garden plots, green lawns, and many trees. Attorney James Sherwin quietly bought up 800 acres, and he and Griswold chose the name Lawrence Park. This was to honor Capt. James Lawrence whose flag carried the inscription Don’t give up the ship. This flag was flown on Capt. Oliver H. Perry’s flagship, the Lawrence, and was carried to the Niagara in his 1813 naval victory on Lake Erie.

The Pennsylvania Population Company obtained and organized most of the land in the Erie Triangle, and in 1795, the first European settlers arrived here. Prior to that time, the Eriez Indians inhabited this area until they were conquered and assimilated into the Iroquois Confederacy. In 1797, Thomas Reese built a sawmill near the mouth of what came to be known as Four Mile Creek. The sawmill made it possible for Eliphalet Beebe to build the 30-ton sloop, the Washington, near the mouth of the creek. The ship was the first to be built on the south shore of Lake Erie and provided transportation for furs, salt, and passengers between Erie and Buffalo for 12 years. Early maps show that creeks in the eastern section of Erie County were named for distances from the center of Erie, thus, Four Mile Creek, Six Mile Creek, Sixteen Mile Creek, and so on.

Michael Crowley came from Ireland and in 1827 bought 399 acres of land along both banks of Four Mile Creek, from the lakeshore to Buffalo Road. In 1830, Michael divided his land into five sections and sold some of the sections to his brothers but kept the section near East Lake Road. His brother, Thomas, farmed and planted an orchard on the section closest to the lake. The dirt road that followed the west bank of Four Mile Creek and connected the East Lake Road to Wesleyville was known as Crowley Road, which is now known as Lawrence Parkway or Water Street.

In 1832, Michael Crowley built the Stone House on East Lake Road on the west bank of Four Mile Creek, facing Crowley Road. This sturdy dwelling with its 18-inch-thick walls was built in the Greek Revival style. Michael died in 1854 but his wife, Mary, and their family lived there until 1872. A local legend has long suggested that the Stone House was a station on the Underground Railway prior to and during the Civil War. There was a tunnel leading to the bank of Four Mile Creek. From there, it was short walk to the lakeshore where a waiting boat could take fugitive slaves to freedom in Canada. Recently discovered evidence of a tunnel gives credence to this tale.

The area east of the city of Erie, a part of Millcreek Township in the early days, was a favorite entertainment spot for horse racing enthusiasts. Reeds Driving Park was located on the East Lake Road, opposite the site that was later chosen by the General Electric Company to build the Erie Works. Exciting races were held at Reeds Driving Park from 1895 to 1909 on the very fast .5-mile oval track. More than 100 horses were quartered on the grounds. In addition to the track, which was also used for bicycle races, there was a hotel and a baseball diamond.

In 1887, Jacob Lang and Christian Rabe bought 13 acres of Crowley’s apple orchard and in 1888 built a handsome, three-story hotel with a wide veranda that afforded porch-sitters a beautiful view of Lake Erie. The Grove House Hotel, named for the extensive orchards surrounding it, was built in the French-style architecture of Eastlake design and was located on the bank of Lake Erie, just east of Four Mile Creek. This hotel was advertised as the finest summer resort on the south shore of Lake Erie. Other attractions included good fishing, boating, bowling, concerts, and vaudeville. The Grove Park House Hotel also advertised having the best brands of liquors and cigars available. A rather interesting claim was that it was a summer breathing spot.

A trolley line that brought patrons out East Lake Road to Reeds Driving Park extended its tracks across the fields (that are now part of the Lawrence Park Golf Club) to convey guests to Grove House Hotel. Also, the proprietors built a 200-foot pier to accommodate guests who would arrive by boat. A section of the concrete steps leading down the lake bank to the pier is still visible. Sadly, in 1902, the Grove House Park Hotel burned to the ground and was never rebuilt.

However, on the same site, a new entertainment venue was developed by Alfred Lang, son of Jacob Lang. Four Mile Creek Amusement Park had many attractions, a merry-go-round, roller coaster, midway with games of chance, a casino, theater, bowling alley, and a roller-skating rink. On August 3, 1915, a severe storm did considerable damage to the roller coaster and the trolley tracks, but with the tracks repaired, the park continued to delight young and old for many years. On Labor Day night in 1919, fire destroyed much of the amusement park. However, picnics were held at this site for several more years. Today this beautiful lakeside area is still bringing enjoyment to many, as the General Electric Company’s picnic grove has occupied this site for many years.

By 1911, the General Electric Company had constructed Buildings 10 and 18 to produce foundry products and railway gas-electric car equipment. The company had 350 employees. The Lawrence Park Realty Company, headed by Nat White, laid out the first streets in Lawrence Park, which went as follows: Main Street from the General Electric Company’s east gate, Rankine, Silliman, Smithson, and Spencer Avenues from Iroquois Avenue to Field Street. The streets were named for scientists, inventors, and engineers. On May 29, 1911, the Lawrence Park Realty Company offered