Everywhere you go, every place you visit, tells a story. Whether that be the local grocery store or your favorite park, there’s always a history and lessons to be learned from that place. There is one place that carries a lot of weight in a personal story. I’d imagine that many share the same fondness for this place. Those from Erie will agree that Presque Isle holds a special place in their hearts and memories.

For many, they cherish that surreal drive in. They glide through the tunnel of green leaves and watch out the window as passers by riding bikes or going for walks. This experience is essential to the story of Erie in the summer and the stories of those who live here. This story goes something like this.

Excitement builds as you enter the lush tunnel and sneak glances out the window towards the water to your right. As you get further in you can start to make out the skyline of Erie and the bicentennial tower, a beacon of the city. It’s a warm summer day so you have your windows down and the sunroof open. The cool breeze and the chirping birds create a heavenly experience that could only be found here. As you get to your favorite spot, you can feel the energy the park has. It’s history lies in the ground beneath you. It’s stories are all around you. Stories about the natives who lived here hundreds of years ago, who believed that God outstretched his arm into the lake to protect these indigenous peoples from the harshness of the storms. Another story is the one of a brave naval commodore who flew his flag proudly and never gave up his ship.

You make your way to your favorite spot on the whole beach. You string up your hammock and pull out the book you’ve been reading. The book only further reminds you of the legends of the park. Another story to add to the history of this land. You listen to the waves crash and the bikes roll by. You find that this place finally allows for some clarity of thought. Some peace and quiet from your everyday life. New ideas and new concepts pass through your mind that you’d never considered. Suddenly you are one with the land around you. You are thriving off of its power and your mind feels enhanced because of it. This is the experience of Presque Isle.

As Presque Isle now approaches its one hundredth year anniversary of becoming a state park. It’s important to remember these tales and what has come before. We do this to honor those people who built this land and made it what it is today. We do this to further appreciate what a beautiful park we have so close to home. And we do this to make sure that the next generation of stories that get told on this land will be added to the history of who we are.