Perry Monument was crowded with dozens of people on a recent sunny weekday. Small groups of two and three sat in the shade under trees, on top of picnic tables or wandered around the picturesque monument.

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They weren't there to enjoy the water or learn about the history, however.

Instead, they were hunting Pokemon.

Pokemon Go was an instant hit when it was released in July. Its success hasn't slowed in the time since. The game has been downloaded more than 100 million times.

In Erie, you can find passionate players by the dozens — and sometimes by the hundreds — at places like Perry Monument, the hottest spot in the region for Pokemon Go players.

Why Perry Monument?

When Pokemon Go players congregate and set up “lures,” more Pokemon — including rare ones — show up to “capture.” Perry Monument is a natural place to get together because “there's five Pokestops, a gym, and you certainly can't beat the scenery,” said Mark Eisert, who brought his two sons, Owen Eisert, 9, and Alec Eisert, 12, and their friends from their home in Edinboro to Perry Monument to play. They drove to the peninsula in an RV with a homemade sign on the back reading “Caution: This vehicle makes sudden Pokemon stops.” For the uninitiated, a "gym" is a Pokemon term meaning, essentially, a battle arena.�

'This is something that has happened to us and not with us'

Presque Isle State Park officials, however, are concerned about the popularity of Perry Monument with Pokemon Go players. Administrators have reached out to ask Niantic, the game developer, to remove Pokestops from Perry Monument.

“This being a third party, this is something that has happened to us and not with us,” said Matt Greene, Presque Isle State Park operations manager.

Greene said the park doesn't have a tally for what the game has meant to the number of visitors, but “since the beginning of the game we've been getting a spike in attendance,” especially at Perry Monument, he said.

While glad that people are outside and enjoying the park, he is not as thrilled about the reason why they're visiting Perry Monument.

“They're not out there for Perry Monument, they're out there for Pokemon Go,” he said. “I'm glad people are outside recreating, but it's unfortunate that it's in a spot that's intended to be a place to learn about an integral part of American history. People aren't there getting that story, and it's driven some people away that would have been there otherwise.”

Rangers are nightly having to ask people to leave, there's been an uptick in the amount of litter, the grass and soil around Perry Monument are suffering and the parking lot is often overflowing with cars, he said.

The park has not heard back from Niantic yet on its request, he said.

“We asked them to move to another location on the park or take it off completely,” he said. “We're waiting to hear a final verdict.”

Some visitors to the monument were nonplused about the dozens of people at the monument playing the game. Kim Rako and her two children, Kaia Rako, 12, and Cameron Rako, 23, were visiting Erie for a few days from Cleveland and wanted to see Perry Monument.

“It's disrespectful at a place like this,” said Cameron Rako, as a couple strolled by him, both staring at their phones.

'It's a cool way to get to know the city'

Eisert, however, said that while he has heard the criticism, he believes the game has been a positive development for his sons and their friends.

“If they were at home they'd just be playing video games, each at their own house,” he said. “This way they're out of the house, they're walking, they're interacting with each other, and they're on Presque Isle,” he said. “They're having fun, and we wouldn't be here otherwise.”

Alayna Getchell, 28, moved to Erie three years ago from Illinois when her husband, Phil Getchell, 38, started working with Erie Insurance. Alayna Getchell is the human resources coordinator at the Regional Cancer Center.

She had never been to Perry Monument before Pokemon Go. She and her husband both play the game and like to go on what they've termed “Pokedates” to hunt the cute little creatures.

“We're not from Erie originally, so it's a cool way to get to know the city a little more,” she said. “I didn't know about Perry Monument. I never knew what Dobbins Landing was called.”

Alayna Getchell's favorite part of the game?

“The social aspect, I think,” she said. “It's fun to talk to people about it — you meet new people and hear people talk about what they're catching. It's definitely a friendly vibe.”

Erica Hess and Aaron Gibbs also believe in the social aspect of the game. The new couple met on a Pokemon Go Facebook page, and had their first date on Dobbins Landing, capturing Pokemon.

“I wouldn't have met him otherwise,” Hess said, smiling up at her boyfriend.

'Everyone goes running'

Eisert stopped to chat with a father and son who sat on a picnic table at Perry Monument staring at their phones. Dennis Henderson, 54, and Kevin Henderson, 13, had traveled from Conneaut, Ohio, to Perry Monument to play. The week before they had met a family from Pittsburgh who had come to Erie just to hunt Pokemon, Dennis Henderson said.

Before the Hendersons headed back to Conneaut, they'd likely stop at Sara's for dinner, Dennis Henderson said.

He and his son had never been to the Erie summer hot spot until he started visiting the peninsula to play Pokemon.

After comparing notes with the Hendersons about what Pokemons they'd spotted that day, Eisert strolled on. He said when someone at Perry Monument spots a hard-to-get Pokemon — like a Pikachu — they'll shout it out and players will rush to the spot to try to capture the plump yellow character with the red cheeks.

“It's like someone is giving away a whole bunch of free TVs on Black Friday,” Eisert said. “Everyone goes running.”

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