1957 Map of Erie North

About this map

Presque Isle State Park dominates the northern reaches of this map, its arching peninsula shielding Presque Isle Bay and providing a natural harbor for the city of Erie. The landscape is a study in the juxtaposition of preserved nature and urban industry during the late 1950s. While the peninsula is dotted with isolated water bodies like Big Pond and Cranberry Pond, the mainland is densely packed with parochial and public institutions, including Gannon College, St Marks Seminary, and the State Soldiers and Sailors Home. To the east, the industrial character of the lakefront is evident in Lawrence Park and Wesleyville, where the infrastructure of the New York Central and St Louis RR and Pennsylvania railroads carved paths through the developing residential and commercial blocks.