About This Stone Pillar

Dan Rice arrived in Girard in 1854 and purchased several acres in the center of Girard borough, where he built a large estate. One of Girard's most famous citizens, he owned his own circus and housed his employees and animals there during the winter before taking the traveling show out in the spring. Around 1860, a stone wall surrounded the estate, and several pillars from it remained in the area, including two on the property and two at the entrance of Lake Erie Community Park in Girard Township. At that time, his house was said to be one of the finest homes in Erie County. Rice lived there for approximately 33 years and left a lasting impact on the community, which still celebrates Dan Rice Days yearly on the first weekend in August.

Girard, Pennsylvania · United States