Erie, Pennsylvania

Coordinates: 42°7′46″N 80°5′6″W / 42.12944°N 80.08500°W / 42.12944; -80.08500
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
"Erie" redirects here. For the lake, see Lake Erie. For other uses, see Erie (disambiguation).

Erie, Pennsylvania
City
Downtown Erie
Boston Store
Perry Square
Bicentennial Tower
USS Niagara
EDT)
ZIP Codes
16501−16512, 16514−16515, 16522, 16530−16534, 16538, 16541, 16544, 16546, 16550, 16553−16554, 16563, 16565
Area codes814 and 582
FIPS code42-24000
Websitewww.erie.pa.us

Erie (/ˈɪəri/; EER-ee) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is the fifth-most populous city in Pennsylvania and the most populous in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 at the 2020 census.[3][4] The Erie metropolitan area, equivalent to all of Erie County, had a population of 270,876 in 2020.[5] Erie is located approximately 80 miles (130 km) from Buffalo, 90 miles (140 km) from Cleveland, and 120 miles (190 km) from Pittsburgh.[6]

The city was named for the Native American Erie people who lived in the area until the mid-17th century. Erie is nicknamed both the "Gem City", in reference to it once being known as the "Gem of the Great Lakes" due to its fine natural harbor; and more recently, the "Flagship City", from a local marketing effort to promote its status as the home port of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship Niagara.[7]

Erie's manufacturing sector remains prominent in the local economy, while insurance, healthcare, higher education, technology, service industries, and tourism are emerging as significant economic drivers. Like the other Great Lakes port cities, Erie is accessible to the oceans via the Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River network in Canada. The local climate is humid, four-seasonal, and snowy, with warm summers and harsh winters, owing to its southern lakeshore location.

History

Main article: History of Erie, Pennsylvania
The Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812, a key historical event in Erie's history

Indigenous peoples occupied the shoreline and bluffs in this area for thousands of years, taking advantage of the rich resources.

Woodland Period, roughly a span from 8,000 BCE to 500 CE.[8]

Europeans first arrived as settlers in the region when the French constructed Fort Presque Isle near present-day Erie in 1753, as part of their effort to defend New France against the encroaching British colonists. The name of the fort refers to the peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, now protected as Presque Isle State Park. The French term presque-isle means peninsula. When the French abandoned the fort in 1760 during the French and Indian War in the Seven Years' War, it was the last post they held west of Niagara River. The British established a garrison at the fort at Presque Isle that same year, three years before the end of the French and Indian War.[9]

Erie is in what was the disputed Erie Triangle, a tract of land comprising 202,187 acres in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania fronting Lake Erie that was claimed after the American Revolutionary War by the newly formed states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, as part of its Western Reserve, and Massachusetts.

18th century

Further information: Pennsylvania in the American Revolution

The

Seneca Nation separately settled land claims against Pennsylvania in February 1791 for the sum of $800. It became a part of Pennsylvania on March 3, 1792, after Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York relinquished their rights to the land and sold the land to Pennsylvania for 75 cents per acre or a total of $151,640.25 in continental certificates.[11]

The

Seth Reed and his family moved to the Erie area from Geneva, New York; they were Yankees from Uxbridge, Massachusetts
. They became the first European-American settlers of Erie in present-day Presque Isle.

19th century

Further information: Battle of Lake Erie and Pennsylvania in the American Civil War

President James Madison began the construction of a naval fleet during the War of 1812 to gain control of the Great Lakes from the British. Daniel Dobbins of Erie and Noah Brown of Boston were notable shipbuilders who led the construction of four schooner−rigged gunboats and two brigs. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry arrived from Rhode Island and led the squadron to success in the historic Battle of Lake Erie.[13]

Erie was an important shipbuilding, fishing, and railroad hub during the mid-19th century. The city was the site where three sets of

standardized gauge was proposed, those jobs, and the importance of the rail hub itself, were put in jeopardy. In an event known as the Erie Gauge War, the citizens of Erie, led by the mayor, set fire to bridges, ripped up tracks, and rioted to try to stop the standardization.[14]

20th and 21st centuries

State and 9th streets in downtown Erie in the early 1920s

On August 3, 1915, the Mill Creek flooded downtown Erie. A culvert, or a tunnel, was blocked by debris and collapsed.[15] A four-block reservoir, caused by torrential downpours, had formed behind it. The resulting deluge destroyed 225 houses and killed 36 people.[15] After the flood, Mayor Miles Brown Kitts had the Mill Creek directed into another, larger culvert, constructed under more than 2 miles of the city, before emptying into Presque Isle Bay on the city's lower east side.

Erie continued to grow for the first half of the 20th century, due to its strong manufacturing base. The city attracted numerous waves of European immigrants for industrial jobs. Erie was considered a wet city during the

Prohibition Era in the United States. The city's economy began to suffer in the latter part of the 20th century as industrial restructuring took place and jobs moved out of the area. The Erie region is considered to be part of the Rust Belt. The importance of American manufacturing, US steel and coal production, and commercial fishing began to gradually decline,[16] resulting in a major population downturn in the 1970s.[16]

With the advent of the automobile age after World War II and government subsidies for highway construction, thousands of residents left Erie for suburbs such as Millcreek Township, which now has 55,000 residents.[16] This caused a decline in downtown retail businesses, some of which followed to the suburbs. Reflecting this perceived decline, Erie is occasionally referred to by residents as "The Mistake on the Lake" or "Dreary Erie".[17] Downtown Erie has undergone a resurgence in the early 2020s with the opening of Flagship City Food Hall and Flagship City Public Market.[18] [19]

Erie won the All-America City Award in 1972 and was a finalist in 1961, 1994, 1995, and 2009.[20][21] In 2012, Erie hosted the Perry 200,[22] a commemoration celebrating 200 years of peace between Britain, America, and Canada following the War of 1812 and Battle of Lake Erie.

Panorama of downtown Erie in 1912 looking West along the 15th Street tracks; the tallest steeple to the north of the tracks is St. Peter Cathedral.

Geography

Mill Creek passes through much of Erie, including the grounds of the Erie Zoo

Erie is situated in

St. Lawrence River, and out to the Atlantic Ocean. South of Erie is a drainage divide, beyond which most of the streams in western Pennsylvania flow south into the Allegheny or Ohio Rivers.[24]
Lake Erie is about 571 ft (174 m) above sea level, while the city of Erie is about 728 ft (222 m) above sea level.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 19.3 square miles (49.9 km2), with 19.1 square miles (49.4 km2) being land and the remaining 0.2 square miles (0.5 km2), or 1.03%, being water.[25] Presque Isle State Park (referred to by locals as "the Peninsula" or simply "the beach"), is a recurving sandspit peninsula that streches north into Lake Erie, providing a fine, natural harbor for Erie and offers 7 miles (11 km) of public beaches, wetlands, and fishing sites.

Erie fronts

Peach Street in Summit Township
include the Erie metropolitan area's newer developments.

Post-industrial redevelopment of Erie's waterfront aimed at recreational and tourism uses include the Bayfront Parkway, Niagara Pier, Perry's Landing Marina, Liberty Park & Amphitheater, Bayfront Convention Center, hotels, and Dobbins Landing, which features the Bicentennial Tower at its northern end. On the east side of the bayfront, the Erie Maritime Museum and the Erie County main library (third-largest in Pennsylvania), host the USS Niagara. Docks and marinas fill the freshwater shoreline in between.

Climate

Under the

lake-effect snow, but also with occasional stretches of mild weather that cause accumulated snow to melt. The city experiences a full range of weather events, including snow, ice, rain, thunderstorms, and fog. The city's lakeside location helps to temper summer heat, with an average of 4 days with highs at or above 90 °F (32 °C) annually, and the highest temperature ever recorded was 100 °F (38 °C) on June 25, 1988. An average of 3 days have lows of 0 °F (−18 °C) or colder annually, and the lowest temperature ever recorded was −18 °F (−28 °C) on January 19, 1994, and February 16, 2015.[27]

Erie is third on The Daily Beast's list of snowiest places in the United States, averaging 78.7 inches (200 cm);[28] however, the 1981–2010 normal seasonal snowfall is 100.8 inches (256 cm). Average annual snowfall in the decade 2010-2019 was 100.7 inches (256 cm).[29] The adverse winter conditions caused USAir Flight 499 to overrun the runway at Erie International Airport on February 21, 1986, and caused whiteouts that were responsible for a 50-car pile-up on Interstate 90 on January 25, 2007.[30][31]

The coldest maximum temperature on record was −4 °F (−20 °C) in 1994 and the average coldest maximum between 1991 and 2020 was 13 °F (−11 °C).[27] The warmest overnight low on record was 82 °F (28 °C) once in 1918 and another time during the 1936 North American heat wave.[27] On average, the warmest low of the year is quite muggy 75 °F (24 °C).[27]

On December 24 and 25, 2017, Erie received 53 inches (135 cm) of snowfall, breaking a record for the largest two-day snowfall anywhere in Pennsylvania.[32][33] By the close of the 2017–2018 snow season, Erie had recorded 198.5 in (5.04 m) of snow, its snowiest season on record, breaking the previous record of 149.1 in (3.79 m) inches set in 2000–2001 by a large margin.[27]

The hardiness zone is now 7a along the lakeshore and 6b in the remainder of the city. [1]

Climate data for Erie, Pennsylvania (Erie International Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1873–present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 73
(23) 		77
(25) 		82
(28) 		89
(32) 		91
(33) 		100
(38) 		99
(37) 		96
(36) 		99
(37) 		89
(32) 		82
(28) 		75
(24) 		100
(38)
Mean maximum °F (°C) 58.9
(14.9) 		58.5
(14.7) 		69.1
(20.6) 		79.6
(26.4) 		85.1
(29.5) 		90.2
(32.3) 		90.5
(32.5) 		89.8
(32.1) 		87.1
(30.6) 		79.3
(26.3) 		68.4
(20.2) 		59.7
(15.4) 		92.4
(33.6)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 35.2
(1.8) 		36.5
(2.5) 		44.3
(6.8) 		56.8
(13.8) 		68.3
(20.2) 		77.1
(25.1) 		81.1
(27.3) 		79.9
(26.6) 		73.7
(23.2) 		62.3
(16.8) 		50.5
(10.3) 		40.2
(4.6) 		58.8
(14.9)
Daily mean °F (°C) 28.2
(−2.1) 		28.9
(−1.7) 		36.1
(2.3) 		47.4
(8.6) 		58.8
(14.9) 		68.2
(20.1) 		72.7
(22.6) 		71.5
(21.9) 		65.2
(18.4) 		54.3
(12.4) 		43.6
(6.4) 		34.1
(1.2) 		50.8
(10.4)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 21.3
(−5.9) 		21.4
(−5.9) 		27.9
(−2.3) 		38.0
(3.3) 		49.3
(9.6) 		59.4
(15.2) 		64.2
(17.9) 		63.2
(17.3) 		56.7
(13.7) 		46.3
(7.9) 		36.7
(2.6) 		28.0
(−2.2) 		42.7
(5.9)
Mean minimum °F (°C) 3.6
(−15.8) 		4.1
(−15.5) 		11.2
(−11.6) 		25.7
(−3.5) 		35.3
(1.8) 		45.7
(7.6) 		53.8
(12.1) 		53.0
(11.7) 		44.4
(6.9) 		33.9
(1.1) 		23.8
(−4.6) 		13.3
(−10.4) 		0.2
(−17.7)
Record low °F (°C) −18
(−28) 		−18
(−28) 		−9
(−23) 		7
(−14) 		26
(−3) 		32
(0) 		44
(7) 		37
(3) 		33
(1) 		23
(−5) 		6
(−14) 		−11
(−24) 		−18
(−28)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.41
(87) 		2.52
(64) 		3.08
(78) 		3.47
(88) 		3.50
(89) 		3.70
(94) 		3.33
(85) 		3.35
(85) 		4.32
(110) 		4.38
(111) 		3.75
(95) 		4.17
(106) 		42.98
(1,092)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 31.8
(81) 		19.4
(49) 		14.5
(37) 		2.6
(6.6) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.1
(0.25) 		9.6
(24) 		26.3
(67) 		104.3
(265)
Average extreme snow depth inches (cm) 9.9
(25) 		9.1
(23) 		7.3
(19) 		1.7
(4.3) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		0.0
(0.0) 		4.8
(12) 		7.6
(19) 		13.8
(35)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 19.7 15.4 14.3 14.0 13.5 11.5 10.5 10.2 10.1 14.3 14.9 18.5 166.9
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 16.3 12.3 7.8 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 4.8 11.5 55.2
Average
relative humidity
(%) 		74.5 75.4 71.9 67.9 68.9 71.3 71.7 74.0 74.5 71.1 72.3 75.0 72.4
Source:
NOAA (relative humidity 1961–1990)[27][34][35]

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Erie, Pennsylvania
Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
180081—
1810394386.4%
182063561.2%
18301,465130.7%
18403,412132.9%
18505,85871.7%
18609,41960.8%
187019,646108.6%
188027,73741.2%
189040,63446.5%
190052,73329.8%
191066,52526.2%
192093,37240.4%
1930115,96724.2%
1940116,9550.9%
1950130,80311.8%
1960138,4405.8%
1970129,231−6.7%
1980119,123−7.8%
1990108,718−8.7%
2000103,717−4.6%
2010101,786−1.9%
202094,831−6.8%
U.S. Decennial Census[36][2]

2020 census

Erie, Pennsylvania – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 1990[37] Pop 2000[38] Pop 2010[39] Pop 2020[40] % 1990 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White
alone (NH) 		92,405 81,605 73,073 60,541 85.00% 78.68% 71.79% 63.84%
Black or African American
alone (NH) 		12,815 14,420 16,535 16,419 11.79% 13.90% 16.24% 17.31%
Alaska Native
alone (NH) 		216 181 210 145 0.20% 0.17% 0.21% 0.15%
Asian alone (NH) 489 756 1,498 3,548 0.45% 0.73% 1.47% 3.74%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) N/A 37 43 38 N/A 0.04% 0.04% 0.04%
Other race alone (NH) 187 189 201 592 0.17% 0.18% 0.20% 0.62%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) N/A 1,957 3,221 5,442 N/A 1.89% 3.16% 5.74%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 2,606 4,572 7,005 8,106 2.40% 4.41% 6.88% 8.55%
Total 108,718 103,717 101,786 94,831 100.00% 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the

2010 United States Census, 101,786 people,[41] 40,913 households, and 22,915 families were residing in the city.[42] Its 44,790 housing units averaged a vacancy rate of 8%. Erie has long been declining in population due to the departure of factories and dependent businesses.[43] The city has lost about 40,000 people since the early 1960s, allowing Allentown to claim the position as Pennsylvania's third-largest city behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh
.

Erie's population was spread evenly among all age groups, with the median being 34. About 13% of families and 19% of the population were below the

poverty line. Most of the people who reside in Erie are of European descent.[44]

Since the 1980s, the International Institute of Erie (IIE), founded in 1919, has helped with the resettlement of refugees from Bosnia, Eritrea, Ghana, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Romania, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam. The inclusion of refugees in Erie's community augments religious diversity and prompts community events such as cultural festivals.[45]

Religion

Catholic influence is present broadly in Erie, including at Mercyhurst University

In the early 20th century, Erie had a significant Russian immigrant community, many members of which worked in the

Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, and Father Pimen Simon became an Old Ritualist priest within the canonical Eastern Orthodox Church.[46] Even today, the gold-domed Church of the Nativity,[47] on the bayfront near the former heart of the Russian community, is an Old Ritualist church and home parish to the famed iconographer Fr. Theodore Jurewicz.[48]

The Erie

Jewish community is over 150 years old. Temple Anshe Hesed, a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, is served by its spiritual leader, Rabbi Robert Morais.[49] Congregation Brith Sholom (Jewish Center) is affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
, and Rabbi Leonard Lifshen has been its spiritual leader since 1989.

Erie is home to the

bishop emeritus of the diocese until his death in 2022.[50]

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives,[51] Erie County had a total population of 280,843 people in 2000, of which 103,333 claimed affiliation with the Catholic Church, 40,301 with mainline Protestant houses of worship, and 12,980 with evangelical Protestant churches.

Economy

Main article: Economy of Erie, Pennsylvania
The Erie Forge and Steel factory at 16th and Greengarden streets

Erie is Pennsylvania's primary access point to

Saint Lawrence Seaway. The city emerged as a maritime center after the American Revolution, then as a railroad hub during the great American westward expansion. Erie became an important city for iron and steel manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution and thrived well into the 20th century with firms such as Griswold Manufacturing
, once the leader in cast-iron cookware.

Since the decline of large manufacturers in the later 20th century, a more diverse mix of midsized industries has emerged. This broader economic base includes smaller and more agile steel and plastic plants (with about 10% of tooling and molding located in the tri-state area) and vigorous service sectors: health, insurance, and tourism. The zip code 16501 covering some of the downtown areas is considered one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country.[52][53]

Erie is the corporate headquarters of the Erie Insurance Group and Marquette Savings Bank. Lord Corporation was founded and has major operations in Erie.[54] Along with GE and Erie Insurance, major employers in the county include the county, state, and federal governments, as well as the Erie City School District.[55]

Over 10% of the USA's plastics are manufactured or finished in Erie-based plastics plants.

Peach Street stores and attractions as a result of Pennsylvania's tax exemption
on clothing.

Both

Shriners Hospital for Children in Erie since 1927.[60]
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a fast-growing educator and provider of healthcare in the city. LECOM is located both in the city and in adjacent Millcreek Township.

Arts and culture

Bicentennial Tower and the Niagara

Museums

The Erie Art Museum is the city's main art gallery, located in the Old Customshouse on State Street. Its collection has an emphasis on folk art and modern art and it hosts a popular blues and jazz concert series. The Erie Art Museum also works on public art projects to revitalize and improve the city. In 2000, the Erie Art Museum created a project entitled GoFish, similar to CowParade; 95 fiberglass fish were decorated by Erie artists and placed throughout the city. Patrons paid $3,000 for a fish and the proceeds went to Gannon University's scholarship fund and the Erie Public Art endowment fund.[61] The Erie Art Museum created a similar public art project in 2004 that involved frogs rather than fish.[62] In 2012, the Erie Art Museum began a project to create 40 artistic and functional bike racks, designed and created by local artists.[63] The museum intends to add color and interest to downtown Erie and to promote bicycling, encourage healthy lifestyles, and provide environmental awareness.[64]

The Erie Maritime Museum recognizes Erie's significance during the War of 1812 and is home to the USS Brig Niagara, a modern recreation of the 1813 USS Niagara which served as Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's relief flagship during the Battle of Lake Erie.[65]

Entertainment

Warner Theatre

Erie is home to several professional and amateur performing arts groups. The most significant is the Erie Philharmonic, in continuous existence since 1913 (except an interregnum during World War II). This group of professional musicians also has a full chorus and a junior philharmonic division that tours the area. The Lake Erie Ballet is a professional company that performs well-known programs throughout the year.[66] The Erie Civic Music Association attracts, sponsors, and books performances by professional musicians, singers, entertainers, and ensembles from around the world.[67]

Downtown Erie's historic and ornate

Civic Center. The downtown area is the home of the Erie Playhouse, one of the leading community theaters in the country, and the third-oldest community theater in the U.S.[69] Erie is also home to several other community theatres, including Dramashop, PACA, and All an Act Theatre. In addition to regular performances, Erie has many festivals including motorcycle rallies. Since 2007, the annual Roar on the Shore motorcycle rally
has taken place in Erie, although in 2019, it moved to the Lake Erie Speedway.

Presque Isle Downs & Casino opened on February 28, 2007, and was the fourth slots parlor in the state and the first in Western Pennsylvania.[70] Table games opened at the casino on July 8, 2010.[71]

Erie is home to The Cadets Drum and Bugle Corps, ten-time Drum Corps International World Champion as of 2023. The Cadets entered a long-term partnership with the Erie Sports Center in February 2023, prompting them to move The Cadets all operations of Cadets Arts & Entertainment, Inc. to Erie.[72][73]

Erie has been the location for many movies, including the hometown for the fictional band The Wonders in

Patrick Monahan. Erie is also the hometown of Marc Brown, the author and illustrator of Arthur
books and TV series.

Libraries

The Erie Maritime Museum, the Niagara, and the Main Library

There are five Erie County library system branches in Erie, and a bookmobile.[74] The Main Library opened in 1996,[75] and is the third-largest library in Pennsylvania.[76] It is connected to the Erie Maritime Museum, and has waterfront views of the Presque Isle Bay. The Main Library contains an art collection and provides internet access to patrons.[77] The four remaining libraries are the Edinboro Branch Library, Iroquois Avenue Branch Library, Lincoln Community Center Branch Library, and Millcreek Branch Library.[74]

Historic structures

Along West 6th Street is Millionaires Row, a collection of 19th-century Victorian mansions. The John Hill House is one of the notable residences. First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, a well-known landmark, is also located here. The Watson-Curtze Mansion, one of the most notable residences on this street, is also home to the Erie County Historical Society.[78] Permanent and rotating exhibits showcase the life of some of Erie's influential founders and the development of Erie.

The Erie Land Light stands at the foot of Lighthouse Street.[79] The lighthouse was built in 1818 and replaced in 1867.

The Bicentennial Tower, on Dobbins Landing at the foot of State Street, was built in 1995−96 to celebrate the city's bicentennial. It is 187 ft (57 m) tall and gives a panoramic view of Lake Erie and downtown. The Blasco Library and Erie Maritime Museum are its neighbors to the east.

Sports

Main article: Sports in Erie, Pennsylvania
UPMC Park, home of the Erie SeaWolves, pictured from the first-base side overlooking downtown Erie

Erie plays host to several semi-professional and professional sports teams. The Erie SeaWolves play AA baseball in the Eastern League as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Erie Otters play hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. Hockey games are played at Erie Insurance Arena, while Minor League Baseball games are held at UPMC Park.

Edinboro University, and Penn State Behrend have active NCAA collegiate sports programs. The local high schools compete in PIAA District 10 sporting events. Additionally, Cathedral Preparatory School hosts the annual high-school basketball tournament featuring top national teams, called the Burger King Classic since 2010. Scholastic and intramural sports are held at school and park facilities around the city. The Mercyhurst Ice Center, JMC Ice Arena, Erie Sports Park, and Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium
are many sports arenas and stadiums available in and around the city.

Club League Sport Venue Established Championships
Erie SeaWolves EL Baseball UPMC Park 1995 1 (2023)
Erie Otters OHL Ice hockey Erie Insurance Arena 1996 2 (2002, 2017)
Erie Express GDFL Football Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium 2012 3 (2010, 2021, 2022)
Erie Commodores FC NPSL Men's soccer
McConnell Family Stadium
 2009
Erie Commodores FC UWS Women's soccer
McConnell Family Stadium
 2021
Erie FC WPSL Women's soccer Gus Anderson Field 2022

Parks and recreation

See also: List of city parks of Erie, Pennsylvania
Looking towards Presque Isle Bay and Downtown Erie from Presque Isle State Park

Downtown Erie is surrounded by

Seaway Trail runs through downtown Erie along the lakefront. The Tom Ridge Environmental Center, at the foot of Presque Isle, features 7,000 sq ft (650 m2) of exhibit space.[81]

The region grows grapes and produces the third-largest amount of wine in the United States.

Waldameer Park, located at the base of Presque Isle, is the fourth-oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania, and the 10th-oldest in the US.[83]

Government

See also: List of mayors of Erie, Pennsylvania
The Erie Municipal Building on State Street

The city of Erie is incorporated as a

Joseph Schember (D) is the mayor of the city of Erie and was first elected in 2017. As of February 2023, the Erie City Council consists of:[85]

Erie is the largest city in

Robert E. Merski, respectively.[87]

Education

See also: Erie City School District and Higher education in Erie, Pennsylvania
Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine's main campus

Erie Public Schools enroll 12,527 students in primary and secondary grades.[88] The district has 23 public schools including elementary, middle, and high schools, with one charter school. Other than public schools, the city is home to more than 40 private schools and academies. Erie public schools are under frequent criticism for education quality, school rankings, and abnormally high teacher salaries.[citation needed] The City of Erie is served by two public high schools, Erie High School and Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy, plus three Catholic high schools: Cathedral Preparatory School, Mercyhurst Preparatory School, and Villa Maria Academy.

Erie is home to several colleges and universities, including

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania
.

Erie is also home to the Barber National Institute and its Elizabeth Lee Black School, which provides services and education for children and adults with mental disabilities. Erie is home to its main campus, and it provides services in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.[89] The Achievement Center also serves the needs of children from birth to age 21 with physical and mental health disabilities.

Media

Main article: Media in Erie, Pennsylvania
The Erie Times-News headquarters office

Erie is served by Erie Times-News, the city's daily newspaper, as well as Erie Reader, an alternative weekly newspaper.

The

CW). WQLN 54 is a member station of PBS and also broadcasts toward London, Ontario
. Cable companies available for Erie include Charter Spectrum, DirecTV, and Dish Network.

Erie is served by several AM and FM radio stations based in the city, and dozens of other nearby station broadcasts can be heard.

In August 2019, Erie was the subject of a new television show, Undercover Billionaire, from the Discovery Channel. In this show, a wealthy businessman, Glenn Stearns, travels to Erie under a fake name, Glenn Bryant. He starts with $100, a cell phone, and an old pickup truck. He is then asked to make a business worth over $1 million in 90 days. If he fails, he has to put $1 million of his own money into the business. Stearns makes the now prosperous business of UnderDog BBQ. Although he only gets the company valuation of around $750,000, it is still a successful business to date. He gave everyone who helped his big roles in the company's future and also invested the $1 million he owed.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania
US Air arriving at Erie International Airport
Union Station is served by Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited
A road map of Erie and its major routes
Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority

Erie is well connected to the

Seaway Trail and is made up of parts of 6th Street, 8th Street, 12th Street, and East Lake Road in the city, U.S. Route 20
, which is 26th Street in the city. The city is divided between east and west by State Street.

The

Lakefront Lines
. Both companies operate out of the Intermodal Transportation Center, which opened in 2002 at the foot of Holland Street.

The former "Water Level Route" of the

ran down the middle of 19th Street, but were removed in 2002.[91] Passenger rail service is provided by Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited out of Union Station at 14th and State streets. The Lake Shore Limited stops twice daily—one eastbound towards New York City or Boston, and one westbound towards Chicago
.

Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport via Delta Air Lines (Currently suspended). Erie International is amid an $80.5 million runway extension. The extension is slated to increase the runway's length by 1,920 ft (590 m), for a total runway length of 8,420 ft (2,600 m), "to meet safety requirements" and allow the airport to accommodate larger aircraft.[92]

The Port of Erie is located on Presque Isle Bay, a natural harbor formed by Presque Isle. It offers some of the finest port facilities for cargo shipping on the Great Lakes, with direct rail access. The Erie−Western Pennsylvania Port Authority provides water taxi service in the summer between Dobbins Landing and Liberty Park in downtown Erie, and the Waterworks ferry landing on Presque Isle.[93]

Utilities

The Erie Water Works, which was incorporated in 1865 as the Erie Water and Gas Company, includes a reservoir, two water-treatment plants, and an elaborate water works and pipe network that provides water for most of the city and suburbs. Penelec, a subsidiary of FirstEnergy, supplies electricity to the region, as well as the Northwestern Pennsylvania Rural Electric Cooperative. National Fuel Gas Company provides residents with natural gas. Time Warner Cable became the region's cable television provider, after taking over Adelphia, and also provides digital phone and high-speed internet to the region. Local telephone and high-speed internet service are also provided by Verizon.

Sewage service in Erie is provided by the Erie Sewer Authority, and many outlying townships have partnerships with the Sewer Authority for service. The authority cleans about 30 40×10^6 US gal (150,000 m3) of wastewater every day.[94]

The

582. A local grassroots coalition began organizing an opposition to the plan and generated numerous petitions for reconsideration. The PUC immediately voted to review their decision and ordered additional public-input hearings and technical conferences as a response to the strong public outcry.[97] In January 2011, the PUC announced that it was placing the entire area code split plan on hold as NEUSTAR pushed the projected exhaustion date back two years to 2015.[98]

Public safety

The Erie Police Department has 196 sworn personnel.[99]

The Erie Fire Department is a full-time fire department and employs around 150 uniformed personnel. The city currently has six fire stations and protects about 20 sq mi (52 km2). The city has five engine companies, including two rescue engines, one tower company, and one water-rescue unit. The city provides mutual aid to fire departments of Millcreek Township, Summit Township, and East County.

Sister cities

Erie has four official sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International:[100]

Notable people

See also

References

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Further reading

External links

American Cyclopædia article about Erie, Pennsylvania
.
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