LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. Amy H.’s map helped us find this one in the interior courtyard of the Avalon Hotel in 2023. Shelly then challenged “Art-thurian King” by Jodi Staniunas Hopper to his sword.
Leap Frog 9
Tag Archives: Erie
Leap Frog 8
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. Amy H.’s map pinpointed the building where “Victorian Flower Frog” by MC Gensheimer now resides, but we had to ask a couple people to find it in the cafeteria.
Leap Frog 7
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. I returned to Erie in 2023 prepared to use Amy H.’s map to find more of Erie’s frogs. However, “E.B. Chelsie” by Mary Pat Lynch was one we stumbled on after thinking we were done looking for frogs for the day.
Leap Frog 6
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. While in 2023, I was prepared to use Amy H.’s map to find more of Erie’s frogs, I found this one in a classic case of driving along to a specific destination and suddenly spotting a frog. “The Big Blue Frog (I’m in Love With)” by Abigaile Brace was sponsored by St. Joseph Apartments, HANDS, and it still sits on their lawn.
Leap Frog 5
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. This “Literary Leaper” by Nancy Hall caught my eye in 2012 (above). When I went back in 2023, it had been repainted (below) and is now know as “Accentuate the Positive.” In both visits, it was outside the public library connected to the Maritime Museum. I think I found it in 2012 on my way to the bus station across the street. In 2023, I rediscovered it thanks to Amy H.’s map.
Leap Frog 4
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. “I Only Have Flies for You” by Susan P. Black was one of the frogs I found in 2012. I don’t remember where I found this one and I don’t see it on Amy H.’s map of the frogs. This suggests that it has either been repainted or removed from the public eye.
Leap Frog 3
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. “Experience America” by Cathedral Center Class of 2006 was one of the frogs I found in 2012. I think I found this one in the yard of what is now the Mother Teresa Academy near the corner of Sassafras and W 11th Street. According to Ami H.’s map, this frog moved to Splash Lagoon.
Leap Frog 2
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. I missed my turn on my way home from Presque Isle in 2022 and stumbled upon “On Golden Pond” by Chuck Benson and Bill Lechner. A few months later, I found Ami H.’s map and list of the frogs, which enabled me to intentionally find frogs on future trips to Erie.
Leap Frog 1
LeapFrog! was a fundraiser in Erie, PA, in 2004. I found the frog above on a trip to Erie in 2012. Like some of Pittsburgh’s dinosaurs, I cannot match it to one of the original frogs in the official book.
In 2012, I experienced a narrow band of Erie along State Street from downtown to the waterfront. While walking around in this area looking for churches, I found some frogs. At the time, I did not make a note of the locations where I found them.
In 2023, I found that Ami H. maintains a list and map of the locations of the LeapFrog! frogs. I believe the frog that I found in 2012 is the one tagged on Ami’s map at the Children’s Museum. It has been repainted and become “Experience Frog.” (I still can’t find a match for it in the official LeapFrog! book.)
The Story of the Spires – Stroudsburg
One of the key ingredients for the stability component of “home” is safety. In the aftermath of 9/11, there was a concern about the safety of living in cities and living in New York in particular. The Pennsylvania boroughs of Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg were among the places considered safe by those leaving New York City. Knowing this going in and comparing it to the lessons learned from Bethlehem, I assumed that the religious buildings would reflect a sense of stability.
Of the two boroughs, Stroudsburg has a more centralized concentration of religious buildings that was easy for me to explore on foot within the limitations of my post-injury recovery phase. The results of this survey confirmed my hypothesis. Of the seven buildings I found, only one was converted to a secular use. Another one appeared to be having a renovation of it’s primary entrance but was still looked actively used as a church. (Facebook confirmed that it is still active with a video of the Polish language mass from a few days before the date I looked it up.) A third building was a storefront that is a First Church of Christ, Scientist.
Comparing Stroudsburg with other Pennsylvania towns where I’ve explored the status of religious buildings, it fits the pattern well. Stroudsburg’s peak population was in 1950, the same as Pittsburgh and Wilkinsburg. Below is an updated chart of the population loss for these cities and a broad impression of the state of their religious buildings.
| City | Population Loss Since Peak (Peak Year) | Status of Religious Buildings |
| Bethlehem | 1% (1960) | Primarily active sacred uses |
| Erie | 26% (1960) | Primarily active sacred uses |
| Homestead | 85% (1920) | Significant numbers closed or converted to secular uses |
| Pittsburgh | 55% (1950) | Significant numbers closed or converted to secular uses |
| Stroudsburg | 14% (1950) | Primarily active sacred uses |
| Wilkinsburg | 49% (1950) | Significant numbers closed or converted to secular uses |
urbantraipsing 