Joe Root (hermit)
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Joe Root | |
|---|---|
 Root while residing at Presque Isle State Park (circa 1890s) | |
| Born | 1860 Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Died | 1912 (aged 51–52) Warren, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Resting place | Odd Fellow Cemetery (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Known for | Well-known hermit who lived in Presque Isle State Park; lived completely off the land |
Joseph Root (1860 – 29 October 1912) was a well-known hermit who lived in what is now Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania,[1][2] Root lived on Presque Isle without any modern conveniences.[3]
Life
Presque Isle State Park
Root moved away from his childhood home to Presque Isle while still in his adolescent years.[1][2] As one of the first permanent inhabitants to the peninsula (Presque Isle wasn't declared an official state park until 1921[4]), he built a number of shacks in various parts of the peninsula to suit the particular activity of any given day.[1][2] There was also a lighthouse keeper who resided at the park during the late 19th century and he often had his tomatoes swiped by Root.[3]
Root built his shacks out of driftwood, packing crates and anything else that washed up on shore.[1][2] Root hunted and fished to support himself in the harsh environment – he would become fond of raw fish in particular.[5] There was a rumor that a dead cow once washed up on the shore of Presque Isle and Root fed off of it for an entire week.[5] Root also ate local wild plants such as wild cattails, duck potatoes, spatterdocks, rice, blueberries, dewberries, and wild strawberries.[3]
Root was a favorite with local children, entertaining them with ventriloquism and stories about his "friends".[1][2] These friends were called the Jee-Bees (alternatively known as either GBs[3] or jeebies[5]); they were invisible nature spirits[6] who could accurately predict the weather.[1][2] During long winter nights, Root would walk to Erie to spend some time at the local poorhouse.[5] Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a fishing net or a cane pole.[5]
Business ideas and later life
One of his business ideas was to build a balloon factory, and use the prevailing westerly winds to transport travelers across state lines to Buffalo, New York.[1][2]
Root was committed to the Warren State Hospital for the Insane in Warren, Pennsylvania, on 14 April 1910 after a short stay at an Erie-area poorhouse.[5] Stories suggest he was sent there because authorities feared he'd claim the peninsula as his home through adverse possession.[3]
Legacy
Joe Root is remembered in the Erie, Pennsylvania area as a colorful character and something of a symbol of Erie's history. A now-shuttered local restaurant, Joe Root's Grill, whose last day open for business was 30 September 2019, honored his name, as does a winter golf tournament, Joe Root's Frostbite Open (sponsored by the restaurant, and other local businesses).[7][8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Basic history of Joe Root". Joe Roots Grill. Archived from the original on 17 March 2007. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Basic history of Joe Root (second reference)". Inn Vista. Archived from the original on 4 June 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ a b c d e Richards, Dave (18 March 2010). "What was Joe Root, the legendary inhabitant of the peninsula, really like? Ask Brian Akula". Erie Times-News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 11 September 2010.
- ^ Cupper, Dan (1993). Our Priceless Heritage: Pennsylvania's State Parks 1893-1993. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission for Department of Natural Resources, Bureau of State Parks. ISBN 0-89271-056-X.
- ^ a b c d e f Massing, Dana (10 March 2010). "Naturalist preserves history with Presque Isle program on Joe Root". Erie Times-News. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2010.
- ^ "Spirituality of Joe Root". Prism Comics. Archived from the original on 4 October 2011. Retrieved 14 April 2011.
- ^ Martin, Jim. "Erie's Joe Root's Grill has closed". GoErie.com. Archived from the original on 5 October 2021. Retrieved 5 October 2021.
- ^ "Joe Root's Frostbite Open". Archived from the original on 14 April 2013. Retrieved 11 April 2013.
