Erie
City
The Erie skyline, facing south from Presque Isle State Park across Presque Isle Bay
Flag Seal
Official name: City of Erie
Nickname: The Flagship City, The Gem City, The Bay City
Country	United States
State	Pennsylvania
County	Erie
Location	Perry Square
- coordinates	42°7′46.42″N 80°5′6.77″W / 42.1295611, -80.0852139
Highest point
- elevation	733 ft (223 m)
Area	28. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. List of the 57 cities in Pennsylvania, arranged in alphabetical order Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Erie County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania. Perry Square is a major city park in downtown Erie Pennsylvania, USA A foot (plural feet or foot; symbol or abbreviation ft or sometimes &prime – the prime symbol) is a non-SI unit The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International 0 sq mi (73 km²)
- land	22. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 0 sq mi (57 km²)
- water	6. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 0 sq mi (16 km²)
- metro	802 sq mi (2,077 km²)
Population	103,717 (2001)
- urban	175,836
- metro	280,843
Density	4,723. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 1 /sq mi (1,824 /km²)
Founded	1795-04-18[1]
- Incorporated	1851-04-14
Mayor	Joseph Sinnott
Timezone	EST (UTC-4)
- summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-5)
Area code	814
Location of Erie within Pennsylvania
Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
Website: www.erie.pa.us

Erie (pronounced /ˈɪəri/) is an industrial city on the shore of Lake Erie in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. 1851 ( MDCCCLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Common year Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−4 is the Time offset used in the Atlantic Standard Time Zone in Canada in winter and the North American Eastern Time Zone during The Eastern Time Zone ( ET) of the Western Hemisphere falls mostly along the east coast of North America and the west coast of South America UTC−5 is the Time offset used in the North American Eastern Time Zone during Standard time and in the North American Central Time Zone during Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city with a population of 104,000. The Erie (also Erieehronon, Eriechronon, Riquéronon, Erielhonan, Eriez, Nation du Chat) were an Iroquoian pre- A city is an Urban area with a large Population and a particular Administrative, Legal, or Historical status ^[2] Erie's Metropolitan Area consists of 281,000 residents. The city is the seat of government for Erie County. Erie County is a County located in the US state of Pennsylvania.

Erie is in proximity to Cleveland, Ohio; Buffalo, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Ohio ( is a Midwestern state of the United States. As part of the Great Lakes region, Ohio has long been a cultural and geographical crossroads Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Once teeming with heavy industry, Erie's heavy manufacturing sector now consists mainly of plastics and locomotive building. Known for its lake effect snow, Erie is in the heart of the rust belt and has begun to focus on tourism as a driving force in its economy. Lake-effect snow is produced in the winter when cold Arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water providing energy and picking up Water vapor which freezes The Rust Belt, sometimes called the Manufacturing Belt, is an area in parts of the Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic States, and portions of the More than four million people each year visit Presque Isle State Park,^[3] for water recreation, and a new casino named for the state park is growing in popularity. Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city Presque Isle Downs and Casino is a Racino complex in Erie Pennsylvania.

Erie is known as the Flagship City because of the presence of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship Niagara. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (August 20 1785 &ndash August 23 1819 was an officer in the United States Navy. ^[4] Erie has also been called the Gem City because of the "sparkling" lake. ^[4]

Contents 1 History 2 Geography and geology 3 Climate 4 Demographics and religion 5 Economy 6 Healthcare 7 Utilities 8 Arts and culture 9 Sports 10 Recreation 11 Law and government 12 Education 13 Transportation 14 Media 15 Sister cities 16 See also 17 References 18 External links

History

Main article: History of Erie, Pennsylvania

The Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy and the Seneca Nation occupied the lands now known as Erie. Erie Pennsylvania has had a long history as a major city in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. The French built Fort Presque Isle near present day Erie in 1753, as part of their effort to garrison New France against the encroaching English. Fort Presque Isle (also Fort de la Presqui’le) was a Fort built by French soldiers in 1753 along Presque Isle Bay at present-day The French word "Presque-isle" means peninsula (literally "almost an island") and refers to that piece of land that juts into Lake Erie that is now called Presque Isle State Park. Presque-isle (from the French presqu'île, meaning almost an island) is a geographical term denoting a piece of land which is closer to being an Island Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city When the fort was abandoned by the French in 1760, it was their last post west of Niagara. The British occupied the fort at Presque Isle that same year, three years before the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763. The Seven Years' War (1756&ndash1763 involved all of the major European powers of the period causing 900000 to 1400000 deaths ^[5]

Present day Erie would have been situated in a disputed triangle of land that was claimed by the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut (as part of its Western Reserve), and Massachusetts. The Erie Triangle is a tract of American land that was the subject of several competing colonial -era claims and which was eventually acquired by the U New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The Commonwealth of Massachusetts ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It officially became part of Pennsylvania on March 3, 1792, after Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York released their claims to the federal government, which in turn sold the land to Pennsylvania for $151,640. Events 1284 - Statute of Rhuddlan incorporated the Principality of Wales into England 1575 - Indian Year 1792 ( MDCCXCII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year The United States dollar ( sign: $; code: USD) is the unit of Currency of the United States; it has also been 25 (75 ¢/acre) in Continental certificates. Continental currency was a Paper currency issued by the Continental Congress, after the Revolutionary War began in 1775 The Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy released the land to Pennsylvania in January 1789 for payments of $2,000 from Pennsylvania and $1,200 from the federal government. The Iroquois Confederacy (also known as the "League of Peace and Power" the "Five Nations" the "Six Nations" or the "People of the Longhouse The Seneca Nation separately settled land claims against Pennsylvania in February 1791 for the sum of $800. The Seneca are a group of indigenous people native to North America. ^[6]

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania commissioned the surveying of land near Presque Isle through an act passed on April 18, 1795. Events 1025 - Bolesław Chrobry is crowned in Gniezno, becoming the first King of Poland. Year 1795 ( MDCCXCV) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Andrew Ellicott, who famously completed Pierre Charles L'Enfant's survey of Washington, D.C. and helped resolve the boundary between Pennsylvania and New York, arrived to begin the survey in June 1795. Andrew Ellicott ( January 24, 1754 &ndash August 28, 1820) was a U Washington DC ( formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, the District, or simply D Initial settlement of the area began that year. ^[6][7] Colonel Seth Reed and his family moved to the Erie area from Geneva, New York and became the first European settlers of Erie. See also Colonel In the United States Army, the United States Marine Corps and the United States Air Force, colonel Seth Read ( March 6, 1746 &ndash March 19, 1797) was born in Uxbridge Massachusetts. For other places with this name see Geneva. Geneva is a City in Ontario and Seneca counties in the

To wrest control of Lake Erie from the British during the War of 1812, President James Madison ordered the construction of a naval fleet at Erie. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom from 1 January 1801 until 12 April 1927 The War of 1812 was fought between the United States of America and the British Empire, particularly Great Britain and her North American colonies James Madison Jr (March 16 1751 – June 28 1836 was an American Politician, the fourth President of the United States (1809–1817 and one of the Founding Noted shipbuilders Daniel Dobbins of Erie and Noah Brown of New York led 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. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry (August 20 1785 &ndash August 23 1819 was an officer in the United States Navy. The Battle of Lake Erie, sometimes referred to as the Battle of Put-in-Bay, was fought on September 10, 1813 in Lake Erie off the coast ^[8]

Erie was an important railroad hub in the mid–nineteenth century, the city being the site where three sets of track gauges met. Rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the two parallel rails that make up a railway track. While the delays required to unload and load passengers and cargo were a problem for commerce and travel, they provided much needed local jobs in Erie. When a national standardized gauge was proposed, those jobs, and the importance of the rail hub itself, were put in jeopardy. The standard gauge (also named the Stephenson gauge after George Stephenson, or Normal gauge) is a widely-used Rail gauge. The citizens of Erie, led by the mayor, set fire to bridges, ripped up track, and rioted to stop standardization. ^[9]

On August 3, 1915, the Mill Creek (the creek that Millcreek Township was named after) flooded downtown Erie when a culvert blocked by debris, gave out. Events 8 - Roman Empire General Tiberius defeats Dalmatians on the river Bathinus. Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year Millcreek Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land a deluge A culvert is a conduit used to enclose a flowing body of Water. ^[10] A four block reservoir, caused by torrential downpours, had formed behind it. Rain is Liquid precipitation. On Earth it is the condensation of atmospheric Water vapor into drops heavy enough to fall often making it to The "wall of water"^[1] that resulted killed 12 people. ^[10] After the flood, Mayor Miles B. Kitts had the Mill Creek diverted to a tube that would run under the city to the lake. Miles Brown Kitts ( 1880-04-24 &mdash 1947-05-27) was a Republican Mayor of Erie, Pennsylvania who served as mayor during Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally ^[1]

Erie's importance gradually faded through the 1900s as the age of lake trade and commercial fishing drew to a close. ^[11] Downtown Erie continued to grow for most of the 20th century, before taking a major population downturn in the 1970s. ^[11] With the advent of the automobile age, thousands of residents left Erie for suburbs such as Millcreek Township, which now has over 50,000 people. Millcreek Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. ^[11]

Geography and geology

Erie is situated at 42°6′52″N, 80°4′34″W (42. 114507, -80. 076213),^[12] directly between Cleveland, OH, Buffalo, NY, and Pittsburgh, PA on the south-central shores of Lake Erie. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern Erie’s bedrock is Devonian shale and siltstone, overlain by glacial tills and stratified drift. The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to  million years ago. Shale (also called mudstone) is a fine-grained Sedimentary rock whose original constituents were Clay minerals or Muds It is characterized by Siltstone is a Sedimentary rock which has a composition intermediate in grain size between the coarser Sandstones and the finer Mudstones and Till is unsorted glacial sediment Glacial drift is a general term for the coarsely graded and extremely heterogeneous Sediments of glacial origin A sandur (plural sandar is a glacial outwash Plain formed of Sediments deposited by meltwater at the terminus of a Glacier. Stream drainage in Erie flows northward into Lake Erie, then through Lake Ontario, the St. Lawrence River, and out to the Atlantic Ocean. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America. Saint Lawrence River (in French: fleuve Saint-Laurent; Kahnawáˀkye in Tuscarora, Kaniatarowanenneh meaning big waterway South of Erie is a drainage divide, where most of the streams south of this divide in western PA flow in a southward direction into the Allegheny or Ohio Rivers. The Allegheny River is a principal Tributary of the Ohio River and is located in the Eastern United States. The Ohio River is the largest Tributary by volume of the Mississippi River. ^[13]

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 28. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 0 square miles (73 km²) with 22. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 0 square miles (57 km²) being land and the remaining (21. 54%) being water. Erie is home to Presque Isle State Park (known to the locals as "The Peninsula"), a peninsula that juts into Lake Erie and has seven miles (11 km) of public beaches, wetlands, and fishing sites. Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city A peninsula is a piece of land that is nearly surrounded by Water but connected to Mainland via an Isthmus. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally

Erie is laid out in a grid surrounding Perry Square in the downtown area. Perry Square is a major city park in downtown Erie Pennsylvania, USA ^[14] The downtown buildings, none being more than 14 stories, are separated from the waterfront by the Bayfront Parkway. ^[14] Erie has generally small ethnic neighborhoods including Little Italy. South of 38th Street, the grid gives way to curvilinear roads of post–1970 suburban development. Millcreek Township and Peach Street are among Erie's newer areas. Millcreek Township is the name of some places in the US state of Pennsylvania: Millcreek Township Clarion County Pennsylvania Peach Street, part of US Route 19, is a main artery serving downtown Erie Pennsylvania.

Most of the cityscape includes renovated and refurbished factory buildings, mid–rise housing, single family homes, and office buildings. Erie's waterfront includes the Pepsi Amphitheater and surrounding parkland, which hosts numerous festivals. This is a list of the city parks and playgrounds of Erie Pennsylvania. The Bayfront Convention Center and Hotel is on Sassafras Pier next to Dobbins Landing. The Bayfront Convention Center is a convention center complex located in Erie Pennsylvania. ^[14] The Bicentennial Tower is centrally located in the skyline when viewed from Presque Isle State Park, with the numerous High-rise and Mid-rise buildings flanking the higher ground behind and to the east and west sides. The Bicentennial Tower is an Observation tower located in Erie Pennsylvania and features panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle State Park On the east end of the waterfront, the Erie Maritime Museum and the city's main library, and third largest in Pennsylvania, host the Brig Niagara. Erie Maritime Museum is a Maritime museum located on Presque Isle Bay in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. Docks and marinas fill the freshwater shoreline in between. For other uses of this word see Marina (disambiguation. A marina is a sheltered Harbor where Boats and Yachts

Climate

The climate of Erie is typical of the Great Lakes. Erie is located in the snow belt that stretches from Cleveland to Syracuse and Watertown; accordingly, its winters are typically cold, with heavy lake effect snow. The snowbelt is a North American region much of which lies downwind of the Great Lakes where heavy Snowfall is particularly common on predominately eastern and southern Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Syracuse (locally ˈsɛrəkjuːs sometimes ˈsɪrəkjuːs or /ˈsɪərəkjuːs/ by non-natives is a city in Central New York, USA. Watertown (town New York Watertown is a city in the State of New York and the County seat of Jefferson County Lake-effect snow is produced in the winter when cold Arctic winds move across long expanses of warmer lake water providing energy and picking up Water vapor which freezes Summers tend to be hot and humid. On the Köppen climate classification, Erie is in the warm summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa). The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems It was developed by Wladimir Köppen, a German climatologist The city experiences a full range of weather events, including snow, ice, rain, thunderstorms, tornadoes, and fog.

As of 2007, Erie is 13th on the list of snowiest places in the United States, averaging 88 inches (220 cm). ^[15] For the winter of 2007–2008, Erie received 118. 7 inches (301 cm) of snow with the first snow of the season fell on November 6. Events 355 - Roman Emperor Constantius II promotes his cousin Julian to the rank of Caesar, entrusting him with ^[16] The adverse winter conditions have been know to cause whiteouts, including one that caused a 50 car pile-up on Interstate 90,^[17] and USAir Flight 499 to overrun the runway at Erie International Airport. Whiteout is a Weather condition in which visibility and contrast are severely reduced by Snow and diffuse lighting from overcast Clouds There are three Interstate 90 (I-90 is the longest interstate highway in the United States at nearly 3100 miles (5000 kilometers USAir Flight 499 was scheduled to be flown from Toronto Canada to Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, with a scheduled stop en route in Erie Pennsylvania Erie International Airport / Tom Ridge Field is a public airport serving northwestern Pennsylvania and is located five miles (8 km) southwest of the ^[18]

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures[19]
°Fahrenheit
	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Record High	70	75	82	89	90	100	99	94	94	88	80	75
Normal High	33. 5	35. 4	44. 7	55. 6	67. 4	76. 2	80. 4	79	72	61	49. 3	38. 6
Normal Low	20. 3	20. 9	28. 2	37. 9	48. 7	58. 5	63. 7	62. 7	55. 9	45. 5	36. 4	26. 8
Record Low	-18	-17	-9	12	26	32	44	37	33	24	7	-6
Rain (in)	2. 53	2. 28	3. 13	3. 38	3. 34	4. 28	3. 28	4. 21	4. 73	3. 92	3. 96	3. 73
Snow (in)	25. 2	15. 6	12. 3	-	-	-	-	-	-	0. 3	10. 4	24. 2

Demographics and religion

Main article: Demographics of Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie Compared
2000 Census	Erie	PA	U. As of the Census of 2000 there were 103717 people 40938 households and 24480 families residing in Erie Pennsylvania. S.
Total population	103,717	12,281,054	281,421,906
Population, percent change, 1990 to 2000	-4. 6%	+3. 14%	+13. 1%
Population density	4,722. 9/sq mi	247/sq mi	80/sq mi
Median household income (1999)	$28,387	$34,619	$41,994
Bachelor's degree or higher	17. 4%	22. 4. 4%	24. 4%
Foreign born	5. 8%	5%	11%
White (non-Hispanic)	80. 56%	85. 4%	75. 1%
Black	14. 20%	10. 01%	12. 3%
Hispanic (any race)	3. 2%	4. 4%	12. 5%
Asian	. 7%	1. 8%	4. 2%

As of the census^[20] of 2000, there were 103,717 people, 40,938 households, and 24,480 families residing in the city. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population There were 44,971 housing units at an average vacancy rate of 8%. Erie has long been declining in population due to the departure of factories and dependent businesses. ^[21] The city has lost over 40,000 people since the early 1970s, allowing Allentown to claim the position as Pennsylvania's third-largest city behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. For the song by Billy Joel, see " Allentown (song." For the neighborhood in Pittsburgh

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1880	27,237		—
1890	40,634		49. 2%
1900	52,733		29. 8%
1910	66,525		26. 2%
1920	93,372		40. 4%
1930	115,967		24. 2%
1940	116,955		0. 9%
1950	130,803		11. 8%
1960	138,440		5. 8%
1970	142,254		2. 8%
1980	119,123		-16. 3%
1990	108,718		-8. 7%
2000	103,717		-4. 6%
Population 1880–1970. [22] Population 1980–2000. [23]

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. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country Most of Erie's people are of European descent. ^[24]

Since the mid 1990s, the International Institute of Erie (IIE), founded in 1919, has helped with the resettlement of refugees from Bosnia, Eritrea, Ghana, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan, the former Soviet Union, and Vietnam. Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Eritrea () ( Ge'ez: ኤርትራ ʾErtrā, Arabic: إرتريا Iritriya) officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in The Republic of Ghana is a country in West Africa. It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Liberia, officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country on the west coast of Africa, bordered by Sierra Leone, Guinea, Côte d'Ivoire Somalia ( Soomaaliya; الصومال) officially the Somali Republic ( Jamhuuriyadda Soomaaliya, جمهورية الصومال) and formerly known Sudan (officially the Republic of Sudan) ( السودان al-Sūdān is a country in northeastern Africa. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The inclusion of refugees in Erie's community augments religious diversity and prompts community events such as cultural festivals. ^[25]

In the early 20th century, Erie had a significant Russian immigrant community, many of whom worked in the shipbuilding plants along the bayfront. Russia (Россия Rossiya) or the Russian Federation ( Rossiyskaya Federatsiya) is a transcontinental Country extending See also Shipbuilding (song. Shipbuilding is the construction of Ships It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a Unusual for a Great Lakes city, a substantial number of these Russian immigrants were Old Believers. Introductory summary of origins In 1652 Nikon (1605 – 1681 Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Church from 1652 to 1658 introduced a number of ritual and textual Even today, the gold-domed Church of the Nativity,^[26] on the bayfront near the former heart of the Russian community, is an Old Believer church. ^[27] Bishop Daniel of Erie, of the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia, is based in Erie and is the Vicar President of the Synod of Bishops for the Old Believers. The Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia (Ру́сская Правосла́вная Це́рковь Заграни́цей ru Russkaya Pravoslavnaya Tserkov' Zagranitsey ^[28]

Erie has a Jewish community that is over 150 years old. PLEASE TAKE NOTE************ Temple Anshe Hesed, a member of the Union for Reform Judaism, is served by its spiritual leader, Rabbi John L. Temple Anshe Hesed is a Reform Synagogue located at the corner of West Tenth Street and Liberty Street in Erie Pennsylvania. The Union for Reform Judaism ( URJ) formerly known as the Union of American Hebrew Congregations ( UAHC) is an organization which supports Reform Jewish Bush. ^[29] Erie is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, covering 13 counties (9,936 sq mi- the largest in the state). The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie ( Latin: Dioecesis Eriensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese in western Pennsylvania. Its diocesan seat is the Saint Peter Cathedral in Erie, which has a 265 feet (81 m) central tower flanked by two 150 feet (46 m) towers. St Peter Cathedral is a Roman Catholic church located in at the corner of West 10th Street and Sassafras Street in Erie Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1873, it is among the tallest churches in the U. S.

According to the Association of Religion Date Archives,^[30] 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

Erie is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's primary access point to Lake Erie, the Great Lakes, and the Saint Lawrence Seaway. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally The St Lawrence Seaway is the common name for a system of Canals that permits ocean-going vessels to travel from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes The city emerged as a maritime center after the American Revolution, then as a railroad hub during the great American westward expansion. In this article the inhabitants of the thirteen colonies that supported the American Revolution are primarily referred to as "Americans" with occasional references to "Patriots" Erie became an important city for iron and steel manufacturing during the Industrial Revolution and thrived well into the 20th century with big industry. The Industrial Revolution was a period in the late 18th and early 19th centuries when major changes in agriculture manufacturing and transportation had a profound effect on the

While only diesel-electric locomotive building remains from the ranks of the large manufacturers in the early 21st century, a more diverse mix of mid-sized industries has emerged. A locomotive is a railway Vehicle that provides the motive power for a Train. This broader economic base includes not only smaller and more agile steel and plastic plants, but also a vigorous service sector: health, insurance and tourism. As of February 2008, Erie's unemployment rate was 5. 3%, a one-point increase over the 4. 3% rate a year earlier. ^[31] The national unemployment rate was 4. 8%.

Erie is the corporate headquarters of GE Transportation, Plastek Industries, Inc., and Erie Insurance Group. GE Transportation, formerly known as GE Rail, is a division of General Electric GE Technology Infrastructure (which also includes GE Aircraft Engine Erie Insurance Group, ( is a multi-line Insurance company offering auto, home, commercial and Life insurance through a network of independent Lord Corporation was founded and has major operations in Erie. Lord Corporation is a diversified technology company with world headquarters in Cary North Carolina. ^[32] Over 10% of the nation's plastics are manufactured or finished in Erie-based plastics plants. ^[4] Erie is an emerging center for biofuels and environmental research, producing over 45 million gallons of biofuel a year. ^[33] Tourism plays an increasingly important role in the local economy with over 4 million people visiting Presque Isle State Park and other attractions. Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city Canadian shoppers frequent the Millcreek Mall and Peach Street stores and attractions mostly because of Pennsylvania's tax exemption on clothing. The Millcreek Mall or Millcreek Mall Complex is a one-level Shopping mall and shopping complex located about five miles (8 km south of downtown Erie Pennsylvania Peach Street, part of US Route 19, is a main artery serving downtown Erie Pennsylvania. A tax exemption is an exemption from all or certain Taxes of a state or nation in which part of the taxes that would normally be collected from an individual or an organization

The city government is encouraging development through Commonwealth programs that encourage residents, universities and businesses to contribute toward the community’s economic health. An economy is the realized social system of production exchange distribution and consumption of goods and services of a country or other area ^[34][35]

In 2002, the Erie Downtown Improvement District (DID) contracted a Philadelphia-based company (Kise, Straw, and Kolodner) to set up a "master plan" for Erie's downtown. Philadelphia (ˌfɪləˈdɛlfiə ^[36] The DID plan includes construction of mid-rise and high-rise structures that will be used primarily for mid-city housing and retail expansion. Plans include renovating historical downtown buildings including the Boston Store and Mercantile Building. Fourth River Development and Radnor Property Group were selected as the developers.

Healthcare

Erie is a regional leader in health care with two of its hospitals being ranked nationally. ^[37][38] St. Vincent Health System was founded in 1875 as St. Vincent's Hospital, Erie's first medical institution, by the Sisters of St. Joseph and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie. for the order of the same name founded in Alsace in 1845 see Sisters of St The Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie ( Latin: Dioecesis Eriensis) is a Roman Catholic Diocese in western Pennsylvania. It was chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1895 as the St. Vincent's Hospital Association. A school of nursing was established in 1901. Formal instruction of interns began in 1914. In 1981, St. Vincent's became the largest hospital in Pennsylvania, and one of the first hospitals in the country, to use computers to make medical records available to authorized personnel for patient treatment. St. Vincent Health Center became a subsidiary of St. Vincent Health System when the corporation was reorganized in 1988. ^[37]The Erie Shriners Hospital for Children has been operating in Erie since 1927. ^[39] It won a 2007 achievement award from the Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania. The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania (HAP is a prominent hospital and medical services lobby based in Harrisburg Pennsylvania. ^[40]

One of Erie's largest employers, Hamot Medical Center, has consistently been ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country. Hamot Medical Center, more commonly known as Hamot Hospital is a large medical facility located in Erie PA. ^[38] Pierre Simon Vincent Hamot (died in 1846) was a successful local businessman whose homestead was donated by his descendants for the founding of the Hamot Hospital Association in 1881. The medical center, along with the Hamot Heart Institute (pictured at right), are part of the Hamot Health Foundation. ^[41]

Hamot and St. Vincent organized two joint projects in the 1980s. The Tri-State Regional Trauma Center opened in 1983. The Regional Cancer Center (TRCC), founded in 1987, is one of the largest free-standing community cancer treatment centers in the United States. ^[42]

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. Erie Water Works was incorporated in 1865 as the Erie Water and Gas Company to provide drinking water and Fire hydrant water for the city of Erie Pennsylvania. Pennelec, a FirstEnergy Company provide electricity to the region, as well as the Northwestern Pennsylvania Rural Electric Company. FirstEnergy Corp ( is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron Ohio Time Warner Cable became the region's TV cable provider after taking over Adelphia. Time Warner Cable ( (formerly Warner Cable Communications) is an American national cable television company that operates in 27 states and has 31 operating divisions

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 million gallons of wastewater every day. ^[43]

Arts and culture

Erie is home to several professional and amateur performing-arts groups. The most significant is the Erie Philharmonic, in continuous existence since 1913 (with the exception of an interregnum during World War II). The Erie Philharmonic is a professional Orchestra located in Erie Pennsylvania. An interregnum (plural interregna or interregnums) is a period of discontinuity of a government organization or social order World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including This group of professional musicians also has a full chorus and a Junior Philharmonic division that tours the area. For the musical composition see Chorale. A choir, chorale, or chorus is a Musical ensemble of Singers

The Lake Erie Ballet is a professional company that performs well-known programs throughout the year. ^[44] The Erie Civic Music Association attracts, sponsors, and books performances by professional musicians, singers, entertainers, and ensembles from around the world. ^[45] The Erie Art Museum is the city's main art gallery, located in a former U.S. Customs House on lower State Street near the bayfront. Erie Art Museum is an art museum in Erie Pennsylvania with a collection of over 5000 objects including American ceramics Tibetan paintings, Indian bronzes An art gallery or art museum is a space for the exhibition of art, usually Visual art. A Custom House or Customs House was a building housing the offices for the government officials who processed the paperwork for the import and export of goods into and out Its collection has an emphasis on folk art and modern art and it hosts a popular blues and jazz concert series. Folk art describes a wide range of objects that reflect the Craft traditions and traditional social values of various social groups History of Modern art Roots in the 19th century Although modern Sculpture and Architecture are reckoned to have emerged at the end of the nineteenth The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States

Downtown Erie's historic and ornate Warner Theatre hosts a range of performances. The Warner Theatre is a 2506-seat Theater located in Erie Pennsylvania, USA. Renovated in the 1980s and again in 2007,^[46] the Warner is the hub of Erie's Civic Center. The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The downtown area is the home of the Erie Playhouse, one of the leading community theaters in the country, as well as the Roadhouse Theatre for Contemporary Art, home to more avant-garde works. Erie Playhouse is a historic Theatre located in Erie Pennsylvania. ^[47] The local Great Lakes Film Association (GLFA), which hosts the annual autumn Great Lakes Independent Film Festival, was founded in 2002. ^[48]

Along West 6th Street is Millionaires Row, a collection of 19th century Victorian mansions. The term Victorian architecture can refer to one of a number of Architectural styles predominantly employed during the Victorian era. The oldest lighthouse on the Great Lakes stands at the foot of Lighthouse Street. The Erie Land Light also known as the Old Presque Isle Light is one of the three Lighthouses that had helped to protect the waterways of Lake Erie around ^[49] 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 1995/1996 to honor the city's bicentennial. The Bicentennial Tower is an Observation tower located in Erie Pennsylvania and features panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle State Park It is 187 feet (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. Presque Isle Downs opened for business on February 28, 2007, the fourth slots parlor in the state and the first in Western Pennsylvania. Presque Isle Downs and Casino is a Racino complex in Erie Pennsylvania. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ^[50] There are 2,000 slot machines as of opening day, and an adjoining racetrack which opened in September 2007. ^[51]

Sports

Main article: Sports in Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie plays host to a number of semi-pro and professional sports teams. Sports in Erie Pennsylvania has a long history There are numerous sports teams in Erie Pennsylvania all of which are minor league they include the Erie Seawolves The Erie RiverRats are a member of the American Indoor Football Association. The Erie RiverRats are a 2007 expansion team of the American Indoor Football Association. The Erie Illusion is a member of the National Women's Football Association. The Erie Illusion is a women's football team playing in the National Women's Football Association (in the Northeast Conference Central Division and they are based in Erie The National Women's Football Association (NWFA is a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. The Erie BayHawks are a member of the NBA Development League. The Erie BayHawks will be a 2008-09 expansion team in the NBA Development League. The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association 's officially sponsored and operated developmental Basketball organization The Erie Otters play hockey in the Ontario Hockey League, and the Erie SeaWolves play double A baseball in the Eastern League as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Erie Otters are a Junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league Baseball team based in Erie Pennsylvania. The Eastern League is a Minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio The Detroit Tigers are a professional baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan, USA Football and hockey games are played at Louis J. Tullio Arena, while minor league baseball games are held at Jerry Uht Park. The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. Jerry Uht Park is a 6000-seat baseball-only stadium in Erie Pennsylvania that hosted its first regular season baseball game on June 20, 1995, as

Gannon University, Mercyhurst College, and Penn State Behrend have active collegiate sports programs. Gannon University is a private, Roman Catholic university located in Erie Pennsylvania. Penn State Erie The Behrend College is a state-related public university institution and a Commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Erie Pennsylvania The local high schools compete in District 10 sporting events as well as the annual McDonald's Classic. The McDonald's Classic is a four team boys basketball tournament held every year in Erie Pennsylvania that highlights Scholastic and intramural sports are held at school and park facilities around the city. This is a list of the city parks and playgrounds of Erie Pennsylvania. The Mercyhurst Ice Center and Veterans Stadium are only two of the many sports arenas and stadiums available in and around the city. Mercyhurst Ice Center is a 35280 square foot 1500-seat Hockey rink in Erie Pennsylvania.

Minutes way, just outside of North East, is the Lake Erie Speedway, a 3/8 mile (0. North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, 14 miles (23 km northeast of Erie. Lake Erie Speedway is a 3/8 Mile (06 km) paved banked oval race track which opened on June 21 2002 in North East Pennsylvania, United States A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States 6 km) NASCAR sanctioned race track. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing ( NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of Stock cars in the United States. A race track (or 'racetrack' or 'racing track' is a purpose-built facility for Racing of animals (eg Horse racing will be found at Presque Isle Downs racino in nearby Summit Township in spring 2008. This article is about the sport For other uses see Horserace (drinking game or Horse race (politics. Presque Isle Downs and Casino is a Racino complex in Erie Pennsylvania. A racino is a combined Race track and Casino. In some cases the gambling is limited to Slot machines but many locations are beginning to include Summit Township is a township in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States.

Club	League	Venue	Established	Championships
Erie SeaWolves	EL, Baseball	Jerry Uht Park	1995	0
Erie Otters	OHL, Ice hockey	Louis J. Tullio Arena	1996	1
Erie RiverRats	AIFA, Indoor football	Louis J. Tullio Arena	2008	0
Erie BayHawks	NBA D-League, Basketball	Louis J. Tullio Arena	2008	0
Erie Illusion	NWFA, Women's football	Tullio Field	2003	0

Recreation

See also: List of city parks of Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie's location along the shores of Lake Erie provides a plethora of outdoor activities throughout the year. The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league Baseball team based in Erie Pennsylvania. The Eastern League is a Minor league baseball league which operates primarily in the northeastern United States, although it has had a team in Ohio Jerry Uht Park is a 6000-seat baseball-only stadium in Erie Pennsylvania that hosted its first regular season baseball game on June 20, 1995, as The Erie Otters are a Junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Erie RiverRats are a 2007 expansion team of the American Indoor Football Association. The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Erie BayHawks will be a 2008-09 expansion team in the NBA Development League. The NBA Development League, or D-League, is the National Basketball Association 's officially sponsored and operated developmental Basketball organization The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Erie Illusion is a women's football team playing in the National Women's Football Association (in the Northeast Conference Central Division and they are based in Erie The National Women's Football Association (NWFA is a full-contact American football league for women headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a list of the city parks and playgrounds of Erie Pennsylvania. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally The region's largest attraction is Presque Isle State Park, drawing over four million visitors a year. Presque Isle State Park (ˌprɛskˈʔaɪl is a Pennsylvania state park on an arching sandy Peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city The region grows grapes and produces the third largest amount of wine in the United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[2] Area sports arenas include Jerry Uht Park (the home of the Erie Seawolves) and Louis J. Tullio Arena (the home of the Erie Otters and Erie RiverRats). Jerry Uht Park is a 6000-seat baseball-only stadium in Erie Pennsylvania that hosted its first regular season baseball game on June 20, 1995, as The Erie SeaWolves are a minor league Baseball team based in Erie Pennsylvania. The Louis J Tullio Arena is a 5586-seat multi-purpose Arena in Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The Erie Otters are a Junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Erie RiverRats are a 2007 expansion team of the American Indoor Football Association.

Erie is home to Presque Isle, a national landmark. ^[3] The Seaway Trail runs through downtown Erie along the lakefront. The Seaway Trail is a 518 mile (8336 km National Scenic Byway in the United States, mostly contained in New York but with a small segment in The Tom Ridge Environmental Center, at the foot of Presque Isle, features 7,000 sq ft (650 m²) of exhibit space. The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is a center on the grounds of Presque Isle State Park in Erie Pennsylvania. ^[52]

Historical sites also draw people to Erie. Union Station and the Warner Theatre are historical buildings still in use. Union Station is a Train station in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. The Warner Theatre is a 2506-seat Theater located in Erie Pennsylvania, USA. The Erie Playhouse is the third oldest community theater in the U. S. , but is the most active. ^[53]

Other tourist destinations include the Bayfront Convention Center; the Bicentennial Tower that overlooks Lake Erie; Dobbins Landing, a pier in downtown Erie; the Erie Land Lighthouse; the Erie Maritime Museum, the home port of the US Brig Niagara; Millcreek Mall, the 11th largest shopping mall in the United States,^[54] Perry Square, a large downtown park; Presque Isle Downs, a racetrack and casino in Summit Township; Splash Lagoon, the largest indoor waterpark on the East Coast and third largest in the United States;^[53] the Erie Zoo, with its many animals and exhibits; and Waldameer Park and Water World, a local amusement park. The Bayfront Convention Center is a convention center complex located in Erie Pennsylvania. The Bicentennial Tower is an Observation tower located in Erie Pennsylvania and features panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle State Park Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally Dobbins Landing is a dock recreational and entertainment area The Erie Land Light also known as the Old Presque Isle Light is one of the three Lighthouses that had helped to protect the waterways of Lake Erie around Erie Maritime Museum is a Maritime museum located on Presque Isle Bay in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. The Millcreek Mall or Millcreek Mall Complex is a one-level Shopping mall and shopping complex located about five miles (8 km south of downtown Erie Pennsylvania Perry Square is a major city park in downtown Erie Pennsylvania, USA Presque Isle Downs and Casino is a Racino complex in Erie Pennsylvania. Splash Lagoon Indoor Waterpark Resort is a Polynesian-themed large indoor waterpark located in Erie Pennsylvania. The Erie Zoological Park and Botanical Garden of Northwestern Pennsylvania, or Erie Zoo, is a zoological park in Erie Pennsylvania. Waldameer Park and Water World is an Amusement park in Erie Pennsylvania located at the base of Presque Isle.

Law and government

See also: List of Mayors of Erie, Pennsylvania, United States, List of Burgesses of Erie, Pennsylvania, and List of Members of Congress who have represented Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie city government consists of a mayor and city council. This is a list of the people who have served as Mayor of the city of Erie, Erie County, in northwestern Pennsylvania. is a list of the Members of Congress who have represented Erie Pennsylvania to the United States House of Representatives. A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning "greater" is a modern title used in many countries for the highest ranking officer in a municipal government A city council is a form of Local government, usually covering a City or other Urban area, such as a Town. The mayor's office includes an elected city treasurer and city controller. In many Governments a treasurer is the person responsible for running the Treasury. Each of seven districts elects a representative to the city council, and the membership selects a city council president and vice president from within their ranks. Each member serves a two-year term. The mayor is chief executive; the city council prepares legislation and conducts oversight. A chief executive officer ( CEO) or chief executive is typically the highest-ranking corporate officer ( executive) or administrator The city council meets in Mario S. Bagnoni Council Chambers at City Hall. A city hall or town hall is the chief administrative building of a City or Town 's administration and usually houses the city or

As of May 2007, Joseph Sinnott is mayor. Susan DiVecchio is city treasurer. ^[55] Casimir J. Kwitowski is city controller. As of May 2007, the Erie City Council consists of: Rubye Jenkins-Husband, Curtis Jones Jr. (President), James N. Thompson, Patrick Cappabianca, Jessica Horan-Kunco and Joseph V. Schember. ^[56]

In exchange for tax revenue, the city provides its residents with police and fire protection. For separate quarterly payments, the city provides garbage, recycling, water and sewer services. The city has come under criticism for cutting jobs in the public service sector, most in Police of Fire Departments. ^[57]

Laws are enforced by the Erie Police Department. In 2005, six murders were committed in Erie, compared to just one in 2004. Despite the rise in homicides, nonviolent crime in the city dropped by 14% in 2005 compared to 2004. ^[58] Since 2000, Erie has been experiencing a spike in drug-related crimes, due in part to a decrease in police officers. ^[57] As a known link in the drug trade, Erie has always had strong criminal ties to Detroit and New York City. The City of New York ^[59] Erie is the site of many major drug busts, although its crime rate is lower than the national average. ^[60] Erie's homicide rate per 100,000 residents increased from 1 in 2004 to 5. 8 in 2005. ^[60] The number of assaults in the city increased to 191 in 2005. Property crime, theft, arson, and burglaries were down in 2005 from 2004, but rape was slightly higher. ^[60]

Education

See also: Colleges and universities of Erie

Erie Public Schools enroll 12,527 students in primary and secondary grades. Erie's collegiate scene is fairly equally split between four-year institutions and two-year business centers The Erie School District is the School district that serves metropolitan Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. ^[61] The district has 23 public schools including elementary, middle, high, and one charter school. Other than public schools, the city is home to more than 40 private schools and academies.

Erie also contains several colleges and universities. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (or LECOM) is a private, Graduate school of Medicine and Pharmacy. Created in the 1970s Penn State Erie, The Behrend College is the largest Penn State branch. Penn State Erie The Behrend College is a state-related public university institution and a Commonwealth campus of Pennsylvania State University located in Erie Pennsylvania ^[62][63] The university is noted for being one of the best value colleges in the country. ^[62]

Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM), a large medical campus with a branch in Bradenton, FL, has one of the largest enrollments of medical students in the country. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (or LECOM) is a private, Graduate school of Medicine and Pharmacy. Bradenton is a city in Manatee County, Florida, United States. ^[64]

Other notable colleges in the Erie area include Mercyhurst College, with the number one rated Division II lacrosse team in the US;^[65] Allegheny College, Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, a large college in nearby Edinboro; and Gannon University, a Catholic university in downtown Erie. Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania which prides itself as being one of the oldest colleges in the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania is a public liberal arts university located in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, USA and one of 14 schools associated with Gannon University is a private, Roman Catholic university located in Erie Pennsylvania.

Ranking Erie city and county officials, as well as officials of the Erie School District, began looking into the need for a community college in the Erie area in 2006. A community college is a type of Educational institution. The term has different meanings in different countries ^[66] As of January 2008, county officials and representatives of Penn State-Behrend, Mercyhurst, and Gannon were in serious discussions expected to lead to the creation of Northwest Pennsylvania Community College by September 2009. Besides accreditation issues, officials must resolve whether to use local four-year educational institutions or to build a separate site in Summit Township for community college classes. ^[67]

The public libraries in Erie are part of the Erie County library system. The Raymond M. Blasco, M. D. Memorial Library, named for its benefactor, opened in 1996. ^[68] It is the third largest library in Pennsylvania. ^[69] It is connected to the Erie Maritime Museum, both of which are part of a bayfront improvement project that includes the Bayfront Convention Center and the Bicentennial Tower. Erie Maritime Museum is a Maritime museum located on Presque Isle Bay in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. The Bayfront Convention Center is a convention center complex located in Erie Pennsylvania. The Bicentennial Tower is an Observation tower located in Erie Pennsylvania and features panoramic views of Lake Erie, Presque Isle State Park

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie's Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) generates an annual Erie Area Transportation Study for the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT). Transportation in Erie Pennsylvania includes access to most major forms of transportation including automobile bus train airplane and ship A metropolitan Planning organization (MPO is a Transportation policy-making organization made up of representatives from local Government and transportation The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation ( PennDOT) oversees Transportation issues in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are 15 MPOs in the state, each consisting of local elected officials, representatives of major modes of transport, PennDOT officials, and others. Federal and state transportation regulations require urban areas of 50,000 or more in population to have an MPO to oversee short-term (four years) and long-term (20+ years) transportation planning. ^[70]

Erie is well connected to the Interstate Highway System. The Dwight D Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, commonly called the Interstate Highway System (or simply the Interstate System) Six highway exits from Interstate 90 connect travelers to Erie from Boston, Massachusetts and points east, and from Cleveland, Ohio and points west. Interstate 90 (I-90 is the longest interstate highway in the United States at nearly 3100 miles (5000 kilometers Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state Those traveling north to Erie on Interstate 79 can merge with Interstate 90 or continue north for several local Erie exits before the road merges into the Bayfront Parkway in downtown Erie. Interstate 79 (abbreviated I-79) is an Interstate highway in the eastern United States, designated from Interstate 77 in Charleston West Southbound travelers on Interstate 79 can connect with Interstate 80 for points east to New Jersey or west to Akron, Ohio or Youngstown, Ohio, or continue south on Interstate 79 to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Charleston, West Virginia. Interstate 80 (I-80 is the second-longest Interstate Highway in the United States (after I-90) Akron is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Summit County. Youngstown is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Mahoning County. Charleston is the Capital of the US state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Interstate 86, also called the "Southern Tier Expressway," splits from Interstate 90 at North East, Pennsylvania and heads southeast through New York State to Binghamton. Interstate 86 was once assigned to what is now Interstate 84 east of East Hartford, Connecticut. North East is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, 14 miles (23 km northeast of Erie. Binghamton, known as The Parlor City is a City located in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States.

The city has several arterial roads. An arterial road is a moderate or high-capacity Road which is immediately below a Highway Level of service. Pennsylvania Route 5 (12th Street), U.S. Route 20 (26th Street and Buffalo Road), and 38th Street are major east-west routes through Erie's municipal roadway grid. Pennsylvania Route 5 is a westward continuation of New York State Route 5 in Pennsylvania. US Route 20 is an east-west United States highway. As the "0" in its route number implies U The grid plan or gridiron plan is a type of City plan in which Streets run at right angles to each other forming a grid. The town is divided east from west at State Street, a major thoroughfare in downtown Erie. U.S. Route 19 is a major southwesterly route from downtown to a shopping area north of Interstate 90 known to locals as Upper Peach Street. US Route 19 is a north-south US Highway. Despite encroaching Interstate Highways the route has remained a long-haul route connecting Lake Erie with Peach Street, part of US Route 19, is a main artery serving downtown Erie Pennsylvania.

The Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority (EMTA) operates local and regional bus service seven days a week. A new city bus terminal opened in 2006. Connections are available to water taxi, rail services, and the airport. The Intermodal Transportation Center, which opened in 2002 at the Holland Street Pier, includes a commercial bus terminal. Greyhound Lines and Fullington Trailways (owned by Fullington Auto Bus Company) provide daily bus service, including routes with local stops between Erie and DuBois and Pittsburgh, with connections to other destinations. Greyhound Lines is an intercity Common carrier of passengers by Bus serving over 3700 destinations in the United States. The Trailways Transportation System is a group of 80 independent bus companies that have entered into a Franchising agreement DuBois (duːˈbɔɪz doo-BOYS or /ˈduːbɔɪz/ DOO-boys, not /duːˈbwɑː/ doo-BWAH) is a City in Clearfield County, ^[70][71]

The former "Water Level Route" of the New York Central Railroad (now the CSX mainline) travels directly through Erie. The New York Central Railroad, known simply as the New York Central in its publicity was a Railroad operating in the Northeastern United States. This is a major mainline for the railroad and sees scores of trains a day. The mainline of the Norfolk Southern Railroad at one time ran directly down the middle of 19th Street in the city. This article is about the present railroad formed in 1990 For the former regional railroad in Virginia and North Carolina a small part of the new one see Norfolk Southern Norfolk Southern decided to remove the 19th Street tracks in 1998. ^[72] The 19th Street rail traffic is now routed onto the transcontinental mainline. Amtrak's Lake Shore Limited arrives at the Union Station, in downtown Erie, twice daily. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971 The Lake Shore Limited is a daily Passenger train route operated by Amtrak in the Northeastern and Midwestern United States Union Station is a Train station in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. Although there has been much discussion in recent years in favor of adding trains along the southern shore of Lake Erie to link Buffalo with Cleveland and beyond, there are no near-term plans to begin this service. Lake Erie (ˈɪəriː is the fourth largest Lake (by surface area of the five Great Lakes, and the tenth largest globally Buffalo (ˈbʌfəloʊ is the second largest city in New York State. Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state

Erie International Airport (IATA: ERI; IACO: KERI), located 5 miles (8 km) southwest of the city, hosts general aviation, charter, and scheduled airline service. WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout US Airways Inc is the fifth largest Airline in the United States. KERI (1180 AM) is a Radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format Erie International Airport / Tom Ridge Field is a public airport serving northwestern Pennsylvania and is located five miles (8 km) southwest of the The International Civil Aviation Organization ( ICAO) an agency of the United Nations, codifies the principles and techniques of international air navigation The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand General aviation (abbr GA) is one of two categories of Civil aviation. An airline provides air transport services for Passengers or Freight, generally with a recognized operating certificate or license Airlines serving Erie include Continental Airlines, US Airways and Northwest Airlines. Continental Airlines Inc ( is a United States certificated air carrier. US Airways Inc is the fifth largest Airline in the United States. Northwest Airlines Inc (often abbreviated NWA) is the principal subsidiary Tom Ridge Field was recognized by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation as the fastest-growing airport in the state and by the US Department of Transportation as the 3rd fastest-growing airport in the United States in 2004. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania ( often colloquially referred to as PA (its abbreviation by natives and Northeasterners is a state located in the Northeastern ^[73][70]

The Port of Erie is in Presque Isle Bay, a natural harbor formed by Presque Isle. The Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority provides water-taxi service in the summer months between Dobbins Landing and Liberty Park in downtown Erie, and the Waterworks ferry landing on Presque Isle. In Canada and the United States a port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental Public authority A water taxi or water bus is a Boat used to provide Public transport, usually but not always in an urban environment ^[74]

A channel on the east side of Presque Isle allows ships to transit between the bay and Lake Erie. Cruise line services land at Dobbin's Landing rather than the Cruise Terminal built in 2002. A Great American Waterways cruise makes a 15-day run from Chicago to Warren, Rhode Island, with a stop in Erie on the eastern leg of the journey. Warren is a town in Bristol County, Rhode Island, United States. ^[75] The Great Lakes Cruise Company and the American Canadian Cruise Line advertise this cruise. ^[76]

Media

Main article: Media in Erie, Pennsylvania

Erie is served by The Erie Times-News, the city's only daily newspaper, although there are several alternative weekly and monthly publications. Situated between three major US cities Erie Pa, is home to five major television broadcast networks one daily newspaper several radio stations and one major Blogging The Erie Times-News is a daily morning Newspaper in Erie Pennsylvania.

Erie is ranked as the 142nd largest television market by Nielsen Media Research. ^[77] The market is served by stations affiliated with major American networks including WICU 12 (NBC), WJET 24 (ABC), WFXP 66 (FOX), WSEE 35 (CBS), and WBEP (CW). WICU-TV is a television station based in Erie Pennsylvania. It serves as the local NBC affiliate WJET-TV is the Erie Pa, affiliate of the ABC television network WFXP 66 is the Fox television network affiliate serving the Erie Pa WSEE-TV is a CBS -affiliated Television station with its studios at 1220 Peach Street in downtown Erie Pennsylvania. WBEP is the CW affiliate for Erie Pennsylvania. It broadcasts on cable as part of The CW Plus, as the Erie market is ranked below 100 WQLN 54 is a member of PBS (several Cleveland stations can be seen in the area). WQLN is the Public television station in Erie Pennsylvania. It is owned by Public Broadcasting of Northwest Pennsylvania Inc Erie is also served by 25 AM and FM radio stations based in the city, and dozens of other stations are received from elsewhere.

Sister cities

As of June 2007, Erie has four official sister cities as designated by Sister Cities International:^[78]

• - Dungarvan, Ireland
• - Lublin, Poland
• - Merida, Yucatan, Mexico
• - Zibo, China

See also

• List of famous people from Erie, Pennsylvania
• Harborcreek Township, Erie, County, Pennsylvania
• Lawrence Park Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania
• Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania
• Wesleyville Borough, Erie, County, Pennsylvania

References

External links

• City of Erie - Official Site
• Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership
• Erie, PA Media Fact Sheet (2008)
• Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Everything Erie wiki - Local wiki site
• History of Erie County, by Samuel P. Bates, (1884), Part III covers City of Erie

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