Delving into the depths of Lake Erie lore, local author Jennifer Boresz Engelking uncovers even more hidden mysteries
By Kelli Comer
Local author Jennifer Boresz Engelking has always had a penchant for unearthing lost lore in Lake County, bringing to life a vibrant history that many residents might not be familiar with.
In Lost Lake Erie, her latest foray into local history, Jennifer reveals entertaining, heartbreaking and nostalgic stories of the lost sites, businesses and industries of Lake Erie.
Serene one moment and destructive the next, Lake Erie’s moods mirror its tumultuous role in history.
As the site of Lake Erie’s Great Lakes Exposition, the lake offered visitors a respite from the Great Depression, and Hotel Victory, once considered the world’s largest summer resort, drew thousands to Put-in-Bay. Daring postal workers dangerously crossed the ice-covered surface on hybrid “boats” and by foot. Canal Street at the Buffalo Wharf was once called the “Wickedest Street in America.” The Erie is one of thousands of ships that lie in the solemn graveyard below the surface. Rum runners turned the lake into a watery highway for illegal booze during Prohibition.
A graduate of Cleveland State University, Jennifer is the author of Hidden History of Lake County, Ohio and Lost Lake County, Ohio. She is an award-winning and regional Emmy-nominated writer who has been published in Echoes magazine, the News-Herald and Lake Erie Living, among others.
Jennifer has co-produced and written historical documentaries that have aired on PBS. She was a reporter at CBS affiliates in Toledo, Ohio (WTOL) and Erie, Pennsylvania (WSEE). She was born, raised and still resides in Lake County, near the shores of Lake Erie.
She has won several awards through the Ohio chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, the Ohio Associated Press and the Toledo chapter for The Association for Women in Communications.
Jennifer starred in two major motion pictures, playing a reporter in the Tony Scott-directed film “Unstoppable” and a museum gala guest in the Joss Whedon-directed film “The Avengers.” When she’s not on screen or behind the pen, Jennifer enjoys reading and spending time with her family at the beautiful beaches, parks and historical sites in our region.
For more information on the author and to purchase your copy of Lost Lake Erie, visit JenniferBoresz.com. Signed and personalized copies are also available. For media inquiries, contact elamont@arcadiapublishing.com.