Elbow Tree Park in Lawrence Park Township takes its name from a beloved tree that once stood at the heart of the neighborhood—a gnarled, low-hanging giant whose bent limb resembled a crooked arm with an elbow. For generations of children growing up in Lawrence Park, the Elbow Tree was more than just a quirky piece of nature—it was a throne, a lookout, and a symbol of youthful imagination. Local resident Marion Renshaw Armstrong recalled in the Erie Times how kids would climb into the elbow and “rule the earth” from their leafy perch, high above the square below.

Though the tree we all grew up with is gone, its memory lives on in the park’s name and in the stories passed down by longtime residents. In fact, those residents have banded together to plant a new Elbow Tree, which is on its way to following in the footsteps of its predecessors. Thus, Elbow Tree Park remains a quiet green space tucked into the residential grid, a subtle tribute to the playful spirit of Lawrence Park’s early days and the trees that make children feel like kings and queens of their corner of Erie County.