Lost Lake Erie

Serene one moment and destructive the next, Lake Erie's moods mirror its tumultuous role in history. As the site of Cleveland's Great Lakes Exposition, the lake offered visitors a respite from the Great Depression, and Hotel Victory, once considered the world's largest summer resort, drew thousands to Put-In-Bay. Daring postal workers dangerously crossed the ice-covered surface on hybrid "boats" and by foot. Canal Street, at the Buffalo Wharf, was once called "the Wickedest Street in America." The Erie is one of thousands of ships that lie in a solemn graveyard below the surface. And rum runners turned the lake into a watery highway for illegal booze during Prohibition. Author Jennifer Boresz Engelking reveals entertaining, heartbreaking, and nostalgic stories of the lost sites, businesses and industries of Lake Erie.

Striking natural beauty draws many visitors to Lake County, but the area also has a rich and captivating history. Willoughbeach Amusement Park arose where one of the worst shipwrecks in Great Lakes history occurred years before. Secret passageways and tunnels helped slaves escape to freedom. Native son and Tuskegee Airman Earl R. Lane earned the Distinguished Flying Cross. Marge Hurlburt, a service pilot during World War II, set an international women's flight speed record, and Amy Kaukonen, one of the nation's first female mayors, personally raided suspected bootleggers during Prohibition. Author Jennifer Boresz Engelking uncovers the history behind some of Lake County's most well-known people and landmarks and reveals stories lost to time.

Richly illustrated, this second edition adds several exciting newly discovered shipwrecks with incredible stories of loss and survival on Lake Erie. The book allows readers to visit 100 wrecks through: survivor tales of the loss, ship facts, the history of the vessel and its loss, photos of the ship before it sank, description of the underwater site with drawings, underwater photos and side scan images, and the wreck location. This book, combined with Erie Wrecks West, provides the most comprehensive coverage of Lake Erie shipwrecks ever compiled.

Welcome to a very different Lake Erie--where ghost ships sail silently, a Black Dog brings doom to sailors who see it, and sea monsters swirl in the murky depths above a UFO base. In Folklore of Lake Erie, Judith S. Neulander presents these captivating tales and many more from the smallest, yet arguably the most peculiar, of the Great Lakes in North America. Whether you are embarking on a discovery of the vampire crypt that lurks in the shadows while Lincoln's ghost train speeds past on its eternal journey or reminiscing about the tall tales your grandfather used to share, this delightful treasure trove of folklore and local traditions from the Lake Erie region contains legends and stories that are both astonishing and entertaining. Endlessly captivating and easily accessible, Folklore of Lake Erie is a distinctive compilation of eerie and enchanting narratives from across the years that will surprise and delight readers. Just be sure to keep an eye out for any peculiar Black Dogs that may cross your path along the way.