A History of Presque Isle

Presque Isle State Park, a peninsula extending seven miles into Lake Erie, attracts four million visitors each year. Since the late 1800s, the park has been an ecological and recreational paradise where visitors can enjoy solitude, reflection, and the wonders of nature. At times strong storms are driven in off of Lake Erie, however, and since 1814, man has been struggling to protect Presque Isle against the forces of nature that constantly cause destruction and erosion on the park.

Through extensive research and vintage images gathered from the collections of author Eugene Ware, the Erie County Historical Society, Erie County Public Library, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and various local sources, A History of Presque Isle reflects the history and special aura of the park. It traces the long and rich past of Presque Isle and Erie, Pennsylvania, from the peninsula's formation in the ice ages to the early 1950s. Through a series of conversations with Joe Root, the legendary hermit who lived in the park from approximately 1880 until nearly 1915, as well as his own personal reflections, Ware provides an unforgettable glimpse into the beauty and majesty of Presque Isle, including what it offers visitors today.