Lake Erie: A Pictorial History [Hardcover]

Julie Macfie Sobol (Author), Ken Sobol (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 25, 2004

A detailed and richly illustrated history.

To create this unprecedented collection of photographs and essays, the authors spent years visiting museums and archives, and interviewed Lake Erie experts, from professional historians to longtime residents. The result is Lake Erie a remarkable portrait of daily life, industry and commerce on this dynamic Great Lake.

The opening of the Erie Canal in 1825 connected the Hudson River to the Great Lakes and unleashed the financial potential of the American interior. The industrialists who located factories with ready access to raw materials soon became legends: Rockefeller, Henry Wells and William Fargo, Sherwin and Williams, Charles Brush and Thomas Edison, Harvey Firestone, B.F. Goodrich, Carnegie, Frick, Westinghouse and Mellon.

The book is divided into chapters covering:

• The lake's prehistory
• Early settlement
• Role in the American Revolution
• Economic boom from 1815 to 1880
• High Industrial period from 1880 to 1945
• History of dramatic storms, shipwrecks
• Role in the Underground Railroad and Prohibition
• Wealth of flora and fauna

Editorial Reviews

Review

A marvel to behold... The depth and breadth of images chosen to form the book is stunning. (Chris Edwards The Times Magazine 200409)

Of interest in Western New York... Great old photos here, and new ones too. (Charity Vogel Buffalo News 20060326)

A good read... a remarkable portrait of daily life, industry and commerce on the lake and along its shore. (Hank Harvey Toledo Blade 20040926)

Many tidbits of history and lore... striking pictures that immediately leave the reader with a feeling of how life was. (Carl E. Feather Ashtabula Star Beacon 20040527)

Remarkable also is the number of people from the Lake Erie area who were important to North American growth. (Wayne Newton London Free Press 20040522)

Fantastic... it belongs in your personal library. (Ken Silvester, host 'The Way We Were' CKWR Radio, Waterloo ON 20040608)

High drama, colorful history and plethora of adventurous characters... impressive volume of information delivered in a superb and entertaining read. (Valerie Hill Kitchener Record 20040606)

A tale that takes in huge cities, such as Cleveland and Buffalo, and small towns, such as Port Burwell. (Daniel Pearce Simcoe Reformer 20040606)

This one has found a place in my coffee table bookcase... Lake Erie really was the center of it all. (R. Simon Mansfield News Journal 20040901)

A fascinating portrait of [Lake Erie's] history and culture... plenty of illustrations balance the text, making for a lively read. (Akron Beacon Journal )

Informative and attractive. It contains countless facts and interesting sidenotes but never becomes text-heavy... history rich collection of photos. (Theresea M. Hegel Youngstown Vindicator )

Beautifully produced book. The photographs are stunning in clarity... A very enjoyable read. (Great Lakes Historical Society )

Helps us to understand how the lands and people surrounding Lake Erie go to where they are today (Great Lakes/Seaway Review )

Review

This book should knock for a loop anyone unprepared for its charms and wonders. (Jane Jacobs Author of several books including the classic The 20040623)

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 224 pages
• Publisher: Boston Mills Press; First Edition edition (March 25, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1550463616
• ISBN-13: 978-1550463613
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,635,127 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Book for Great Lakes Collection, May 26, 2004

By 

Tom E. Mahl (Elyria, Ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lake Erie: A Pictorial History (Hardcover)

This is an essential book for any library in the Great Lakes region and any collection that aspires to cover the geography of the United States and Canada. One would have to cover many miles and search out innumerable obscure museums and photo collections in both the United States and Canada to see the photos brought together here for an afternoon's reading. Here are pictures of giant sturgeon, the canals, the storms, a 100,000 fans at a 1914 baseball game, rum runners, the tycoons who made Lake Erie boom. Coverage of such places as Long Point and its wealthy club members and other points of interest on the Canadian side of Lake Erie is good. This coverage of the Canadian shore is especially useful for the American reader or at least it is for this American reader.
Photo reproduction is very good-- often surpassing my memory of the original prints.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A piece of American history which should not be missed, November 9, 2004

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Lake Erie: A Pictorial History (Hardcover)

Authors Julie and Ken Sobol are together and independently the authors of several books and numerous TV screenplays, and while an initial glance at Lake Erie: A Pictorial History might indicate it to be a specialty item for limited collections, take a look under the appealing vintage photo cover: there's a lot more going on than meets the eye. For one thing, the history of Erie and the area's role in the development of the US and Canada as a whole is fascinating: it was the pivotal factor in the War of 1812 and conflicts over its future ultimately led to an era of rapid economic boom for America. Pack in archival photos, illustrations, and portraits of major players and events in the region and you have a piece of American history which should not be missed.

5.0 out of 5 stars Love this book...want to share with family & friends!, December 25, 2007

By 

Jan Lindsay (Detroit, MI) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lake Erie: A Pictorial History (Paperback)

I grew up near Lake Erie in Lake County, OH. In doing family

history research I have discovered many links to this lake. The

book has great pictures to help us understand how they lived many years

ago!