by Christine Lorraine Morgan ~ July 17, 2021

Did you know that en route to Washington to be inaugurated, President Lincoln stopped and enjoyed a meal at the Erie train depot’s dining room in February 1861?

His train also stopped at the Girard and North East stations.

During Lincoln’s brief visit, there was an unusual commotion which resulted in a potentially dangerous scenario, as posted at oldtimeerie.blogspot.com:

“At Erie quite a scene occurred, by the breaking down of a roof on which a large number of curious republicans had gathered. The sudden appearance of the whole group, and the scramble among the ruins, was most ludicrous. Fortunately no one was seriously hurt. After dinner at Erie Mr. Lincoln addressed the people, excusing himself for not expressing his opinions on the exciting questions of the day,” according to New York Herald, February 17, 1861.

Although there is no clarification on which “roof” broke down in the aforementioned statement by the New York Herald, one might deduce it could have been a train car roof.