Joe Root (hermit)
Joseph Root was a well-known hermit who lived in what is now Presque Isle State Park in Pennsylvania. Born in Erie, Pennsylvania, Root lived on Presque Isle without any modern conveniences.
He has sometimes been nicknamed "the King of the Peninsula" or "the King of Presque Isle".
Life
Presque Isle State Park
Root moved away from his childhood home to Presque Isle while still in his adolescent years. He was one of the first permanent inhabitants of the peninsula. 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.Root hunted and fished to support himself in the harsh environment – he would become fond of raw fish in particular. There was a rumor that a dead cow once washed up on the shore of Presque Isle and Root fed off of it for an entire week. Root also ate local wild plants such as wild cattails, duck potatoes, spatterdocks, rice, blueberries, dewberries, and wild strawberries.
Root was a favorite with local children, entertaining them with ventriloquism and stories about his "friends". These friends were called the Jee-Bees ; they were invisible nature spirits who could accurately predict the weather. During long winter nights, Root would walk to Erie to spend some time at the local poorhouse. Locals could sometimes see him walking on State Street with either a fishing net or a cane pole.