Joe Root | |
---|---|
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][ better source needed] Root lived on Presque Isle without any modern conveniences. [3] He has sometimes been nicknamed "the King of the Peninsula" [2] or "the King of Presque Isle". [4]
Root moved away from his childhood home to Presque Isle while still in his adolescent years. [1] [2] He was one of the first permanent inhabitants to the peninsula (Presque Isle wasn't declared an official state park until 1921 [5]). 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 hunted and fished to support himself in the harsh environment – he would become fond of raw fish in particular. [6] 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. [6] 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 [6]); they were invisible nature spirits [7] 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. [6] Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a fishing net or a cane pole. [6]
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. [6]
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 local businesses, one of which was the restaurant). [4] [8]
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