In a message dated 5/6/03 3:05:38 AM, PAERIE-D-request@rootsweb.com writes: << Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 18:58:41 -0400 From: "Anne Lurie" <alurie@nc.rr.com> Subject: Re: [PAERIE] Re: Erie County Courthouse site Chuck, I just used the http://www.eriepa.us/Assessment/Search.aspx website, and it seems to be working. OTOH, I got a shock when I checked out Wilson Drive (in Fairview) where I grew up -- I was barely able to recognize my dad's house at 7566 Wilson Dr. (as I recall; it had no street name or number when I lived there), but the orientation of the doors, Lake Erie in the background, and the "nice little hemlock" next to the path from the garage confirmed the ID for me. Neighboring houses 7578 & 7598 are recognizable to me also -- although the houses were always good-sized, my dad's house has had some major renovation done, not surprising considering that "houses can be changed, but no one can manufacture more desirable property" (in this case, overlooking Lake Erie). Anne Lurie Raleigh, NC >> Hello Anne, Thanks for the input on the Erie County Assessment online database. I was wrong, the search function does work after all. My problem was I did not have the right address for our family homestead at 965 West Arlington Road. After more than an hour bumping around and testing the search function with your address and that of some friends in Erie, I discovered several things. 1. If you put in the wrong data, you may not get any results 2. If you leave out the house numbers, you will get a listing of ALL of the assessment records for the entire street. 3. OBY is an abbreviation for Out Buildings in the Yard. In the end, I did find the information on the house. It was listed as but it as mislisted as >>959<< West Arlington Road and not >>965<< West Arlington Road. No wonder I could not find it and thought the database was broken. Unfortunately, there is no convenient way to report any errors to the database manager. I also found the fair market assessed value to be 25% lower than what the house sold for eight years earlier. The house was not sold at an above market value and the house and neighborhood is well kept. This data, like all genealogical data, should pass the common sense test. This one does not. One of the interesting things I discovered was the listing for the Grubb-Reed cemetery across the street from 965 West Arlington Road. (http://www.eriepa.us/Assessment/Results.aspx?Card=&ParcelID=33101453000400&Se ction=Photos) It is literally the front yard of the house behind it. It totals 0.0551 acres, or 2400 square feet. The address is distinguished from the house by the use of "West" in the street address. The cemetery and house have the same number in this database. Other information on the obscure Grubb-Reed cemetery can be found on my Web site at http://www.Bliley.net/family/misc/Grubb-Reed_Cemetery/. This is a perfect example of why to double-check your data for most anything and not to give up. I trust the paper version of the data for this property is correct. :-) Thanks Anne for the help and redirection. Everyone can now relax and return to their personal genealogical work. ;-) Best regards, Chuck Bliley www.Bliley.net