Old-school Wesleyville charm at the edge of Erie's city limits
Wesleyville is a borough in Erie County where blocks of century-old homes, Little League fields and multi-generational restaurants light up with vibrant new murals and annual fireworks festivals. While old-fashioned volunteerism is responsible for many of the improvements to local parks and community events, the borough is also bolstered by its practical position at the edge of Erie’s city limits and the commercial and commuter hubs of the outlying suburbs. “Wesleyville is your traditional, old-school small town,” says Jake Scheloske, the vice president of sales at Agresti Real Estate, who’s specialized in Erie County for 14 years. “You could almost blink and miss it, driving through on Buffalo Road. But Wabtec, which was formerly General Electric, is right next to it, and that’s a huge business for Erie. Our hospitals, UPMC Gamot and Saint Vincent, then colleges like Penn State Behrend and Mercyhurst University – they're all right around there.”
Prewar and midcentury single-family homes on residential blocks
Stemming from Buffalo Road, the oldest residential blocks in Wesleyville are lined by sidewalks and a blend of simple single-family homes built in the early 1900s. Small bungalows and National homes mix with American Foursquares on many streets. Lots are fairly uniform and closely packed, fronted by pocket-sized front lawns, walkways and narrow driveways. Sidewalks are less common on streets developed from the 1950s through 1980s, dominated by classic split-levels, colonials and ranch-style homes on slightly larger properties. Prices range from around $40,000 to $220,000, depending on the home’s size and condition.
Attending the Iroquois School District
Wesleyville is served by the Iroquois School District, which gets a C-plus from Niche. Iroquois Elementary School earns a B-minus. Iroguois Jr./Sr. High School scores a C and lets older students enroll in vocational education classes through the Erie County Technical School.
Community parks, gardens and nearby Lake Erie access
Iroquois Little League teams hit the baseball diamonds at Wesleyville Memorial Park. A bountiful, colorful mural fills the side of a local lunch counter next to the raised beds of the Wesleyville Community Garden, a newer space created through volunteering and fundraising efforts. Emory “Red” Hinkler Park offers a woodsy place to walk, hit the playground and skip stones along a bend in Four Mile Creek. Larger parks are just over a mile from Wesleyville, including Wintergreen Gorge and its Four Mile Creek swimming holes and McClelland Park, known for its forested hiking trails and fenced dog parks. Residents might drive five minutes to launch a kayak into Lake Erie from access points in Lawrence Park or drive more than 30 minutes to reach the 11th beach at the tip of Presque Isle State Park.
Shopping and dining on Buffalo Road
Casual restaurants and specialty businesses set up shop in the old-fashioned commercial buildings that line Wesleyville’s stretch of Buffalo Road. Locals sit at the counter at Coney Island Lunch, eating hot dogs topped with meaty Greek sauce. A chef smiles down from the sign atop Russ’ Dinor, a local institution for no-frills diner fare since the 1950s. The collectible cards at Game Corps bring a pop of brighter color to the main drag. Family Dollar stocks some groceries, but residents leave the borough for larger shopping trips. “Buffalo Road is what I’d compare to Erie’s Peach Street – it's the east county’s big commercial district,” Scheloske says. “If you need to get to the grocery store, you’re not even driving five minutes.” Giant Eagle and Pet Supplies Plus anchor a strip mall less than a mile from home.
Wesleyville Community Day and a historic church
Each summer, Wesleyville Memorial Park fills with bouncy castles, vendor booths and live musicians for the annual Wesleyville Community Day. Locals enjoy fair food between throws at the dunk tank and lively bouts of Erie’s All Star Wrestling. A fireworks display finishes the festivities at dark. The borough and local houses of worship host countless other community events throughout the year. Wesleyville was named for the founder of the Methodist movement, and the historic Wesley United Methodist Church still holds religious services and hosts a food pantry more than 200 years after its founding.
Driving or busing a handful of miles to Erie hubs
It's a roughly five-minute drive to reach Penn State Behrend's campus or Wabtec’s sprawling locomotive manufacturing complex, but Wesleyville is also within 20 minutes of many other Erie employment hubs. Downtown Erie is less than 5 miles away, as are UPMC Hamot and Saint Vincent Hospital. Residents might drive or board an Erie County Metropolitan Transit Authority bus to get around the city. Erie International Airport is about 10 miles from home.
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Written By
Julia Szymanski
