The Green Shingle

The Green Shingle was once a bustling truck stop and roadside restaurant in McKean Township, Erie County, perched near the Sterrettania Road exit off Interstate 90. Known for its hearty meals and 24-hour service, it was a favorite haunt for truckers and locals alike—especially during the heyday of long-haul travel in the mid-20th century. Over time, the site became known as Dixie’s Green Shingle, a nod to the legendary Dixie Truckers Home brand, which had roots in Illinois and was considered one of the oldest truck stops in America.

Though the Erie location wasn’t part of the original Dixie chain, the name lent a nostalgic flair and a sense of continuity to the roadside culture it embodied. The Shingle eventually closed in the early 2000s, and the building sat vacant for years before being demolished in 2015 as part of redevelopment plans by Presque Isle Downs, which had acquired the property. Today, the site is cleared, but for many longtime Erie residents, “The Shingle” remains a symbol of a bygone era—where the coffee was strong, the jukebox played late into the night, and the road always led somewhere new.