| Joseph "Joe" Root | |
|---|---|
Joe Root in a rare photo opportunity while residing at Presque Isle State Park (circa 1890s) |
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| Born | 1860 Erie, Pennsylvania |
| Died | 1912 (aged 51–52) Warren, Pennsylvania |
| Cause of death | Natural causes |
| Resting place | Odd Fellow Cemetery (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) |
| Residence | Presque Isle State Park (from 1880 to 1910[1]) |
| Nationality | United States |
| Occupation | Naturalist Entertainer |
| Known for | Being the first person to live at Presque Isle State Park and living completely off the land |
| Home town | Erie, Pennsylvania |
Joseph "Joe" Root (1860 – November 1912) was a resident who was born in Erie, Pennsylvania, USA.[2][3] He was considered to be one of America's earliest naturalists.[1] Root's unique talents allowed him to find a virtual buffet on Presque Isle without having to resort to modern day conveniences.[1] Concession stands selling hot dogs and modern restrooms were not available on the peninsula when Root made his permanent residence there.
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Root moved away from his childhood home to Presque Isle while still in his adolescent years.[2][3] As one of the first permanent inhabitants to the peninsula (Presque Isle wasn't declared an official state park until 1921[4]), he built a number of shacks in various parts of the peninsula to suit the particular activity of any given day.[2][3] There was also a lighthouse keeper who resided at the park during the late 19th century and he often had his tomatoes swiped by Root.[1] His name was Andrew Jansen and he would serve his time there until 1914 when the Life-Saving Service and the United States Revenue Cutter Service merged in 1915 to become the United States Coast Guard.
Root would have built his shacks out of driftwood, packing crates and anything else that washed up on shore.[2][3] Fishing and hunting would become two of the methods that Root would use to survive the harsh terrain[2][3] (he would become fond of raw fish in particular[5]). A dead cow (either from the wild or from a farmer's field) once washed up on the shore of Presque Isle and Root ate the lifeless body for an entire week (without using any implements to either cook or eat the animal).[5] Other foods that made their way into Root's taste buds included: wild cattails, duck potatoes, spatterdocks, rice, blueberries, dewberries, and wild strawberries.[1]
The children of the local area and Root learned to like each other mutually; especially when he was entertaining them with ventriloquism and stories about his friends.[2][3] These friends were called the Jee-Bees (alternatively known as either GBs[1] or jeebies[5]); they were highly invisible nature spirits[6] who could accurately predict the weather.[2][3] During long winter nights, Root would walk to Erie to spend some time at the local poorhouse.[5]
Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a fishing net or a cane pole.[5]
One of his business ideas was to build a balloon factory using the prevailing westerly winds to transport travelers across state lines to Buffalo, New York while another used feathers from the birds.[2][3] Financial concerns would ultimately prevent his ideas from becoming a reality even though they were considered to be innocent and harmless.[2][3]
Root was committed to the Warren State Hospital for the Insane in Warren, Pennsylvania on April 14, 1910 after a short stay at an Erie-area poorhouse.[5] This life imprisonment was for an act of violence that actually made him a victim.[2][3] People also say it was to make sure that he never received his squatters' rights.[2][3] While he was not considered a proper role model for young people even back in his era,[1] Root's role as entertainer provided a much needed morale boost for children who admired his talents.