A Walk Through Erie's Downtown Entertainment & Cultural District

Pennsylvania

October 2025

Erie's Murals and Perry Square, The Heart of Downtown

After lunch, we also paid a quick visit to Erie’s Downtown Entertainment and Cultural District. Our walk began under the railroad viaduct, where a remarkable mural welcomes visitors to the district. We also noticed another beautiful mural depicting the construction of the U.S. Brig Niagara, a ship essential for winning the Battle of Lake Erie in 1813.

At Perry Square Park, a historic park downtown, we learned that the central fountain was one of the earliest electrically lit fountains in the area, using Thomas Edison’s Electric technology from 1929. Edison’s influence was significant to the area because his investments and work through the electric industry helped bring widespread power to the city.

Views from A Distance

We tried to follow State Street all the way to the bay. However, the entire area was completely under construction. From afar, we could see the Bicentennial Tower, a 187-foot steel and glass structure built in 1995, as well as Presque Isle Bay and Lake Erie. Because we didn’t want to make a detour, we missed seeing the U.S. Brig Niagara that lies in the harbor in front of the Erie Maritime Museum.

Architectural Icons and the Cost of Liberty

We followed the same street back, passing the Modern Tool Company Building, which was initially the People’s Market House from 1895 to around 1925.Today, the building houses apartments, offices, and businesses.

In front of the closed Erie Art Museum, hidden by the fences due to the ongoing construction, we found the bronze sculpture Eternal Vigilance by Erie-born artist John Silk Deckard (1938–1994). Instead of glorifying the idea of liberty, the statue portrays the other, darker side of what liberty means: that maintaining freedom comes with sacrifice and suffering. How relevant is that today!

We also admired the Warner Theatre, a 1931 Art Deco and French Renaissance theater designed by Chicago architects Rapp and Rapp. Originally a Warner Bros. movie palace, it is still in use, hosting the Erie Philharmonic, Lake Erie Ballet, and the Broadway Series.

The only building that rises above the city is the Renaissance Centre. Once the Erie Trust Company Building, built in 1928, it is currently being transformed into a luxury hotel and office hub

Erie, A City with Forward Momentum

We didn’t know what to expect when we started walking through Erie’s historic downtown. What was clear, though, is that all the ongoing projects show that the proper measures are being taken to improve the city.

The “Flagship City” definitely deserves this forward momentum.

Date

Wednesday, October 1, 2025

Distance

2.97 mi

Moving Time

1:04:35 hrs

WEATHER

64 °F , fresh breeze