Erie Gardens - Linda Higgins

Port Clinton boasts a large number of community clubs, private and public. One of the lesser-known clubs has a unique membership requirement: 1950s’-60s’ residence in a part of our community called Erie Gardens. The members share warm memories of a close-knit neighborhood developed after WWII—stories abound! It was a neighborhood with a wide range of incomes and ethnicities, where all looked out for one another. The children never knew whose parent was going to open a door and yell out to behave! The homes were all very similar, as in most developments. Today the area remains filled with many remodeled homes and well-tended yards.

Erie Gardens housing development lies between Fremont Road and West 3rd Street on the west side of Port Clinton. The prefabricated houses, singles or doubles, were part of the federal government's emergency housing program during WWII, built for war workers.

During WWI, the federal government developed programs for slum clearance. By 1939, the United States Housing Act had two basic goals: slum clearance and low-rental housing. Around 1940, increases in military activity were apparent in this area, and civilians were rumored to be testing anti-aircraft guns at the Erie Ordnance Depot and Camp Perry. Experiments were also to be conducted on new types of anti-aircraft shells, and workers were needed to build munition dumps and warehouses. The Federal Works Agency filed, for war purposes, for 23 acres of land northwest of Port Clinton city limits. The land, which had to be condemned and taken by eminent domain, lay primarily in Bay and Portage townships, with some in Port Clinton.

As housing units were built, the name appeared to be Lakeview Gardens Housing Project. Meanwhile, the Federal Housing Administration asked Port Clinton home owners to turn parts of their homes into living quarters for the war workers. An FHA War Conversion Loan, up to $5000, was offered to help each homeowner pay for any remodeling. By December 1941, Erie Gardens had a permanent name and 100 homes were nearly ready for occupancy after inspection, with more to come.

When, after the war, the Federal Public Housing Law required Erie Gardens to be disposed of two years after the war emergency had ended, the American Legion offered to buy the development, renting to veterans first. A bill in Congress hung in the air for years that would halt the disposal of these units, and, then, Port Clinton City Council, among others, didn’t want group ownership. And changes in streets and pavement, placement of units, and numerous other updates were needed, according to the Public Housing Authority to allow Erie Gardens’ annexation. This necessitated moving 15 units into the city to make room in the Gardens.

In April of 1957, Erie Gardens was annexed to Port Clinton. First choice went to Gardens veterans to buy, then outside veterans. Outside non-vets were next. A 10% down payment was in order, the balance to be paid over 15 yrs. The federal government paid for street improvements and helped with updating the houses’ necessities—gutters, electric, etc. The school district bought the two buildings that were not living quarters.

It was about that time that the Erie Garden “club” membership began making their memories, their parents having moved into the refreshed homes for a variety of reasons. Some were short-term residents, and many stayed longer. Regardless, those memories remain to enrich our Port Clinton community.