Preservation Watch List

829 Parade Street, Erie

Many German clubs were organized in the mid-19th century as benevolent societies, singing societies, and fraternal organizations. Philharmonia Hall at 9th and Parade was built in 1873 and taken over by the East Erie Turn Verein in 1880. The current building was built in 1890.

Per the club’s founders – Moomy, Ohler, Kuntzle, Weber, Steimer, Waggner, Gross, and Detzel – the original focus of the verein (club) was to promote athletic excellence. In 1919, the club was renamed East Erie Turners.

As industry, manufacturing, and transportation grew Erie’s overall economy through the mid-20th century, East Erie Turners became a popular post-workday gathering place. At its peak, the club’s membership exceeded 5,000 individuals.

In 1970, East Erie Turners signed an agreement to sponsor Gem City Bands, a collection of big-band musicians and conductors. Gem City Bands regularly played at East Erie Turners, and, during its peak in the 1980s, drew crowds of 400 people or more per concert.

The club was hit hard in 2014 when a shooting occurred just outside their doors. Even long-standing patrons feared visiting, and East Erie Turners closed shortly after the incident.

Today, East Erie Turners remains closed with no plans to reopen.

Endangered Places List

262 Main Street West, Girard

The oldest hotel in the borough, the Girard Hotel was built between 1855 and 1870 and served the community for more than a 100 years.

One of the more colorful stories to come from the hotel involved famed circus man Dan Rice. According to local lore, Rice frequented the hotel’s bar, and upon being kicked out one day, he returned with his circus lion to scare folks away so that he could drink in peace.

The Girard Hotel was located just outside the Girard Historic District, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 2023.

A fire in the 1950s destroyed the third floor and mansard roof. Rather than replace the the third floor, a flat roof was installed over top of the second floor.

The Girard Hotel was closed for more than a decade, and, even though the last owner expressed interest in rehabilitating the structure, it sat vacant and was allowed to deteriorate from neglect.

An engineering study conducted in 2019 found the Girard Hotel unsound, primarily due to long-term water infiltration in the northern portion of the building, and Girard Borough Council condemned the building. The hotel was then acquired by the Erie County Land Bank, which oversaw the demolition process in 2021. As part of this process, Habitat for Humanity was invited to salvage materials from the building, and the local volunteer fire department was permitted to use it for a training exercise. Following demolition, the Erie County Land Bank transferred ownership of the vacant hotel site to Girard Borough.

During demolition, several hundred bricks from the Girard Hotel were salvaged. A selection of these bricks were engraved with “Girard Hotel 1855-2021” and sold during Dan Rice Days and other special events during 2022 as a fundraiser.

Today, Downtown Girard and Girard Borough are working collaboratively to expand the borough’s public park system and beautify the west gateway to the borough’s historic downtown by utilizing the now vacant Girard Hotel lot for use as a public park.

Updated 06/12/2025