Erie County is a

county A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...

in the

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. It is the northernmost county in Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 270,876. Its

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

Erie Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...

. The county was created in 1800 and later organized in 1803. Erie County comprises the Erie, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Erie County was established on March 12, 1800 from part of Allegheny County, which absorbed the lands of the disputed

Erie Triangle The Erie Triangle is a roughly 300-square-mile (780-square-kilometre) tract of American land that was the subject of several competing colonial-era claims. It was eventually acquired by the U.S. federal government and sold to Pennsylvania so that ...

in 1792. Prior to 1792, the region was claimed by both New York and Pennsylvania and so no county demarcations were made until the federal government intervened. Since Erie County and its newly established neighboring Counties of Crawford,

Mercer Mercer may refer to: Business * Mercer (car), a defunct American automobile manufacturer (1909–1925) * Mercer (consulting firm), a large human resources consulting firm headquartered in New York City * Mercer (occupation), a merchant or trader, ...

, Venango, and Warren were initially unable to sustain themselves, a five-county administrative organization was established at Crawford County's Meadville to temporarily manage government affairs in the region. Erie first elected its own county officials in 1803. Unfortunately, on March 23, 1823 the Erie County Courthouse burned and all county records to that point were destroyed. The county was originally settled by immigrants of "

Yankee The term ''Yankee'' and its contracted form ''Yank'' have several interrelated meanings, all referring to people from the United States. Its various senses depend on the context, and may refer to New Englanders, residents of the Northern United St ...

" stock (immigrants from New England and the western part of New York descended from the English Puritans whose ancestors settled New England in the colonial era). Erie County resembled

Upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...

more than it did

with its population primarily consisting of settlers from

Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...

Rhode Island Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...

and

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

. Roads were laid out, post routes established, public buildings erected and people were invited to move there. The original settlers were entirely of

New England New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces ...

origins or were

s from

upstate New York Upstate New York is a geographic region consisting of the area of New York State that lies north and northwest of the New York City metropolitan area. Although the precise boundary is debated, Upstate New York excludes New York City and Long Is ...

whose families had moved to that place from

only one generation earlier, in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. This resulted in Erie County being culturally very contiguous with early

culture. Erie County was part of the

Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. T ...

giving slaves the ability to gain freedom through Lake Erie into Canada, East through New York State, or to stay in Erie with the help of abolitionists and the free black community. Today, the "Journey to Freedom" educational program provides an interactive program on the Underground Railroad experience.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (49%) is water. It is the largest county in Pennsylvania by total area. With the exception of a high ridge several miles from the lake, running nearly parallel with its shore, the terrain is generally rolling and well watered. It is the only county in the state that occupies a significant amount of land north of the 42nd parallel. There are two cities in Erie County: the city of Erie and the city of Corry. Other notable population centers include Millcreek, Harborcreek and Fairview townships, and the boroughs of Edinboro, North East, Girard, Waterford and Union City. Erie County is bordered on the northeast by

Chautauqua County, New York Chautauqua County is the westernmost County (United States), county in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. As of the United States Census 2020, 2020 census, the population was 127,657. Its county seat is Mayville, New York, Mayville, an ...

, on the east by

Warren County Warren County is the name of fourteen counties in the USA. Some are named after General Joseph Warren, who was killed in the Battle of Bunker Hill in the American Revolutionary War: * Warren County, Georgia * Warren County, Illinois * Warren County ...

, on the south by

Crawford County Crawford County is the name of eleven counties in the United States: * Crawford County, Arkansas * Crawford County, Georgia * Crawford County, Illinois * Crawford County, Indiana * Crawford County, Iowa * Crawford County, Kansas * Crawford Count ...

, and on the west by

Ashtabula County, Ohio Ashtabula County ( ) is the northeasternmost county in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 97,574. The county seat is Jefferson. The county was created in 1808 and later organized in 1811. The name Ashtabula deriv ...

. Directly north of the county is

Lake Erie Lake Erie ( "eerie") is the fourth largest lake by surface area of the five Great Lakes in North America and the eleventh-largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has t ...

. This position on the water makes Erie County the only county in Pennsylvania to share a border with

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

, which is located on the far shore of the lake. The county has a warm-summer

humid continental climate A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...

(''Dfb''). Average monthly temperatures in downtown Erie range from 26.4 °F in January to 70.8 °F in July, while in Corry they range from 23.8 °F in January to 68.2 °F in July

Adjacent counties

Haldimand County, Ontario Haldimand County is a rural city-status single-tier municipality on the Niagara Peninsula in Southern Ontario, Canada, on the north shore of Lake Erie, and on the Grand River. Despite its name, it is no longer a county by definition, as all mu ...

(north) *

Norfolk County, Ontario Norfolk County is a rural single-tier municipality on the north shore of Lake Erie in Southwestern Ontario, Canada with a 2016 population of 67,490. Despite its name, it is no longer a county by definition, as all municipal services are handled b ...

(northwest) *

(northeast) *

(southeast) *

(south) *

(southwest)

Major highways

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Demographics

According to the 2010 census, there were 280,566 people, 110,413 households, and 70,196 families residing in the county. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...

was . There were 119,138 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 88.2 percent

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 7.2 percent Black or African American, 0.2 percent Native American, 1.1 percent

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.03 percent

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 1.2 percent from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 2.1 percent from two or more races. A further 3.4 percent of the population were

Hispanic or Latino ''Hispanic'' and '' Latino'' are ethnonyms used to refer collectively to the inhabitants of the United States who are of Spanish or Latin American ancestry (). While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, for example, by the United States ...

of any race. 24.4% were of

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) ** Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

, 12.5%

Polish Polish may refer to: * Anything from or related to Poland, a country in Europe * Polish language * Poles Poles,, ; singular masculine: ''Polak'', singular feminine: ''Polka'' or Polish people, are a West Slavic nation and ethnic group, w ...

, 12.3%

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

, 10.1%

Irish Irish may refer to: Common meanings * Someone or something of, from, or related to: ** Ireland, an island situated off the north-western coast of continental Europe ***Éire, Irish language name for the isle ** Northern Ireland, a constituent unit ...

, 6.5%

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and 6.4%

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

ancestry. Of the total number of household, 27.2 percent had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.4 percent were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between t ...

living together, 13.2 percent had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.4 percent were non-families. 29.3 percent of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.3 percent had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.00. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.5 percent under the age of 20. The median age was 38.6 years. For every 100 females there were 96.73 males.

2020 Census

Metropolitan Statistical Area

The

United States Office of Management and Budget The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is the largest office within the Executive Office of the President of the United States (EOP). OMB's most prominent function is to produce the president's budget, but it also examines agency programs, pol ...

has designated Erie County as the Erie, PA

Metropolitan Statistical Area In the United States, a metropolitan statistical area (MSA) is a geographical region with a relatively high population density at its core and close economic ties throughout the area. Such regions are neither legally Incorporated town, incorporate ...

(MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census the metropolitan area ranked 11th most populous in the State of Pennsylvania and the 164th most populous in the United States with a population of 280,566. Erie County is also a part of the larger Erie-Meadville, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Erie County as well as

to the south. The

Combined Statistical Area Combined statistical area (CSA) is a United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB) term for a combination of adjacent metropolitan (MSA) and micropolitan statistical areas (µSA) across the 50 US states and the territory of Puerto Ric ...

ranked seventh in the State of Pennsylvania and 102nd most populous in the United States with a population of 369,331.

Largest populations in Erie County

Government and politics

Prior to 1960, Erie County was primarily Republican in presidential elections, only backing Democratic Party candidates in four elections from 1888 to 1956. Since 1960, it has become primarily Democratic, with only four Republican wins in the county in presidential elections from 1960 to the present. Nevertheless, since the 2016 Presidential Election, the county has become increasingly competitive, with Donald Trump narrowly winning the county in 2016, and Joe Biden narrowly flipping the county in 2020. The county seat of government is in

. The county has a home-rule charter and is run by a

county executive A county executive, county manager or county mayor is the head of the executive branch of government in a United States county. The executive may be an elected or an appointed position. When elected, the executive typically functions either as a ...

. The current County Executive is Brenton Davis. Davis assumed the office on January 3rd, 2022 following the retirement of County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. The remaining elected officials of the executive branch are the Erie County Controller, Erie County Coroner, Erie County District Attorney, Erie County Sheriff, and Erie County Clerk
see latest list

Erie County Council

The legislature consists of a

county council A county council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a county. This term has slightly different meanings in different countries. Ireland The county councils created under British rule in 1899 continue to exist in Irela ...

. The Erie County Council is made up of seven councilpersons elected to represent seven geographical districts
see map
A chair and vice chair are chosen among the councilpersons to lead the council. *Terry Scutella, Democratic, District 1-Millcreek Township Districts 2 through 10, 12 through 17, and 22 through 25 *Andre Horton, Democratic, Chairman, District 2-Erie 1st Ward Districts 1 through 8; Erie 2nd Ward Districts 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 and 9; Erie 3rd Ward Districts 1, 3, 4 and 5; Erie 4th Ward Districts 1 through 9; and Lawrence Park Township Districts 1, 2, and 3 *Mary Rennie, Democratic, District 3-Erie's 2nd Ward District 8; Erie's 3rd Ward Districts 2, 6 and 7; Erie's 5th Ward Districts 1, 2, 11 and 20; Erie's 6th Ward; and Millcreek Township Districts 11, 18, 19 and 20 *Jim Winarski, Democratic, District 4-Erie's 2nd Ward District 5; Erie's 5th Ward Districts 3 through 10, 12 through 19, and 21; Wesleyville Borough District 2 (West District); and Millcreek Township Districts 1 and 21 *Brian Shank, Republican, District 5-North East Borough 1st and 2nd Wards; Wesleyville Borough District 1 (East District); and Greene, Harborcreek, North East and Summit townships. *Sam "Charlie" Bayle, Republican, District 6-City of Corry; the boroughs of Edinboro, Elgin, Union City, Waterford and Wattsburg; and Amity, Concord, Greenfield, LeBoeuf, Union, Venango, Washington, Waterford and Wayne townships *Ellen Schauerman, Republican, District 7-Boroughs of Albion, Cranesville, Girard, Lake City, McKean and Platea, as well as Conneaut, Elk Creek, Fairview, Franklin, Girard, McKean and Springfield townships

Judiciary

The judiciary is made up of nine judges serving the Erie County Court of Common Pleas and fifteen magisterial district judges serve the district courts. Court administration is managed by a district court administrator, deputy court administrator, and assistant court administrator. The Erie County Courthouse is located near Perry Square in downtown Erie. Erie County also operates a County Prison, and a combined 911/Emergency Management Agency under the Erie County Department of Public Safety, which is located in Summit Township.

Row officers

*Clerk of Records, Kenneth Gamble, Democratic (Was appointed after the retirement of Pat Fetzner in 2015) *Controller, Dr. Kyle W. Foust, Democrat *Coroner, Lyell Cook, Republican *District Attorney, Jack Daneri, Republican *Sheriff, John Loomis, Democratic

Politics

As of November 7, 2022, there are 178,785 registered voters in Erie County. * Democratic: 84,405 (47.21%) *

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

: 68,483 (38.30%) *

Independent Independent or Independents may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups * Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s * Independ ...

: 18,004 (10.07%) *

Third Party Third party may refer to: Business * Third-party source, a supplier company not owned by the buyer or seller * Third-party beneficiary, a person who could sue on a contract, despite not being an active party * Third-party insurance, such as a V ...

:: 7,893 (4.41%) Unlike most of northwestern Pennsylvania, Erie County tends to lean Democratic in statewide and national elections. All four statewide winners carried the county in 2008. The margins of victory for the Democratic presidential candidate in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 elections in Erie County were 9, 8, and 20 percentage points, respectively. The county is considered a

bellwether A bellwether is a leader or an indicator of trends.bellwether
" ''Cambridge Dictionary''. Ret ...

polity.

State Senate

* Dan Laughlin ( R), Pennsylvania's 49th Senatorial District * Michele Brooks ( R), Pennsylvania's 50th Senatorial District

State House of Representatives

* Patrick J. Harkins ( D), Pennsylvania's 1st Representative District * Robert Merski ( D), Pennsylvania's 2nd Representative District * Ryan A. Bizzarro ( D), Pennsylvania's 3rd Representative District * Curtis G. Sonney ( R), Pennsylvania's 4th Representative District *

Brad Roae Bradley T. Roae ( ) (born April 6, 1967) is a Republican member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 6th legislative district, which consists of parts of Crawford County. He was first elected in 2006. Roae attended Gan ...

( R), Pennsylvania's 6th Representative District *

Parke Wentling Parke H. Wentling (born ) is an American politician and current member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, representing the 7th District since 2023. A Republican, Wentling previously represented the 17th District from 2015 until 2022 ...

( R), Pennsylvania's 17th Representative District

United States House of Representatives

* Mike Kelly ( R),

Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district is located in Northwestern Pennsylvania. It contains all of Erie County, Crawford County, Mercer County, and Lawrence County, as well as part of Butler County. The district is represented by Republic ...

United States Senate

Pat Toomey Patrick Joseph Toomey Jr. (born November 17, 1961) is an American businessman and politician serving as the junior United States senator for Pennsylvania since 2011. A member of the Republican Party, he served three terms as the U.S. representat ...

* Bob Casey,

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

Education

Public school districts

Corry Area School District The Corry Area School District is a midsized, rural, public school district which spans portions of three counties in northwestern Pennsylvania. In Crawford County it covers the Borough of Spartansburg and Sparta Township. In Erie County i ...

Erie City School District The Erie City School District is the school district that serves Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. It is a member of the Northwest Tri-County IU 5. Serving the Erie School District are two high schools, three middle schools, and ten e ...

* Fairview School District * Fort LeBoeuf School District * General McLane School District * Girard School District *

Harbor Creek School District The Harbor Creek School District is the public kindergarten-through-12th grade education system for Harborcreek, Pennsylvania. The school district is one of 501 school districts in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. By state law, the district has ...

* Iroquois School District *

Millcreek Township School District Millcreek Township School District is a school district serving Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, Millcreek Township, a suburb of Erie, Pennsylvania. The total enrollment is 7,464 students. The District was the pilot district in the ...

* North East School District *

Northwestern School District Northwestern School District is a small, rural, public school district based in Albion, Pennsylvania, United States. The district is located in Erie County, which is in the northwestern corner of Pennsylvania bordering Lake Erie and the State ...

Union City Area School District The Union Area School District is a public school district Union City and Union Township in Erie County, Pennsylvania and Bloomfield Township in Crawford County, Pennsylvania Crawford County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvan ...

* Wattsburg Area School District

Approved private schools

Barber National Institute The Barber National Institute (formerly the Barber Center) is a nonprofit, multi-faceted organization that provides services to more than 6,300 children, adults, and families who are faced with autism, intellectual disabilities, and behavioral ...

Erie, Pennsylvania Erie (; ) is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Erie is the fifth largest city in Pennsylvania and the largest city in Northwestern Pennsylvania with a population of 94,831 a ...

Community College

After years of advocacy on the issue, Erie County Council approved sponsorship of an Erie County Community College on June 28, 2017. Council Chairman Jay Breneman and colleagues Andre Horton, Kathy Fatica and Fiore Leone voted in favor of sponsoring the community college, which was later signed by County Executive Kathy Dahlkemper. The County Executive's administration took the lead in presenting the proposal to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education for approval, supported by a cross-section of business, civic, labor, and community leaders.

Recreation

There are two Pennsylvania state parks in Erie County and both are on the shores of

. *

Erie Bluffs State Park Erie Bluffs State Park is a Pennsylvania state park in Girard and Springfield Townships, Erie County, Pennsylvania in the United States. The park is the largest undeveloped stretch of land overlooking Lake Erie in Pennsylvania. Erie Bluffs Sta ...

– one of Pennsylvania's newest state parks *

Presque Isle State Park Presque Isle State Park () is a Pennsylvania State Park on an arching, sandy peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, west of the city of Erie, in Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The peninsula sweeps northe ...

– one of Pennsylvania's oldest state parks and the most-visited state park in Pennsylvania.

Recreation

* Splash Lagoon Indoor Waterpark *

Millcreek Mall The Millcreek Mall or Millcreek Mall Complex is a one-level shopping center southwest of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, between Peach Street and Interstate 79, in Millcreek Township. The mall is the tenth largest shopping complex in the United S ...

* Presque Isle Downs and Casino *

* Erie Zoo *

Tom Ridge Environmental Center The Tom Ridge Environmental Center is a center on the grounds of Presque Isle State Park in Erie, Pennsylvania. Named after former Pennsylvania Governor and former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge, the center opened on 26 May ...

Erie Maritime Museum Erie Maritime Museum is a maritime museum located on Presque Isle Bay which rests on the waterfront in downtown Erie, Pennsylvania. It is managed by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission ( PHMC). When it opened its doors on May 21, 19 ...

* Warner Theatre *

Erie Art Museum Erie Art Museum is located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The Museum holds a collection of more than 8,000 objects, with strengths in American art pottery, American ceramics, Tibetan art, Tibetan paintings, Arts and entertainment in India#Sculpture, Indian ...

Waldameer Park Waldameer & Water World is an amusement park and water park in Erie, Pennsylvania located at the base of Presque Isle. Waldameer is the fourth oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania, the tenth oldest in the nation, and one of only thirteen trol ...

* Erie County Public Library

Annual events

* Roar on the Shore

Libraries

The foremost public library in Erie is part of the Erie County library system, which consists of five branches and a

bookmobile A bookmobile or mobile library is a vehicle designed for use as a library. They have been known by many names throughout history, including traveling library, library wagon, book wagon, book truck, library-on-wheels, and book auto service. Bookm ...

. The Raymond M. Blasco, M. D. Memorial Library, named for its benefactor, opened in 1996. Now called the Main Library or the Erie County Public Library, is the third-largest library in

. It is connected to the

, both of which are part of a bayfront improvement project that includes the

Bayfront Convention Center The Bayfront Convention Center is a convention center complex located in Erie, Pennsylvania. The center, which has views of Presque Isle Bay from three sides, includes a Great Hall with a seating capacity Seating capacity is the number of peop ...

and the Bicentennial Tower on Dobbins Landing. The Main Library is praised for its waterfront views of the

Presque Isle Bay Presque Isle Bay is a natural bay located off the coast of Erie, Pennsylvania, United States. Its embayment is about in length, about across at its widest point, and an average depth of about . The bay is at an elevation of 571 ft (174 m) ...

, where the historic U.S. Brig Niagara is often located. The library was moved to this location approximately 25 years ago, from its previous home in the center of downtown Erie. The library's renovation directly contributed to the revitalization of the waterfront, which was previously underdeveloped. The second floor of the Main Library is home to an art collection, containing historic pieces like Summer Afternoon, Isle of Shoals by Frederick Childe Hassam. The display also features several local artists. The library works with the International Institute of Erie (IIE) to offer tours of the library, a collection of foreign-language books, and other practical information about immigration processes. The library also provides a heritage room where one can conduct

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

research concerning their ancestors who resided in Erie County or

Northwest Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...

. The four remaining libraries within the Erie County library system are the Edinboro Branch Library, Iroquois Avenue Branch Library, Lincoln Community Center Branch Library, and Millcreek Branch Library. The other public libraries of Erie County include the Albion Area Public Library, Corry Public Library, McCord Memorial Library, Rice Avenue Public Library, Union City Public Library, and Waterford Public Library.

Communities

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities:

cities A city is a human settlement of notable size.Goodall, B. (1987) ''The Penguin Dictionary of Human Geography''. London: Penguin.Kuper, A. and Kuper, J., eds (1996) ''The Social Science Encyclopedia''. 2nd edition. London: Routledge. It can be def ...

boroughs A borough is an administrative division in various English-speaking countries. In principle, the term ''borough'' designates a self-governing walled town, although in practice, official use of the term varies widely. History In the Middle Ag ...

townships A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, Ca ...

, and, in at most two cases,

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

. There are 38 incorporated municipalities in Erie County, including 2 cities, 14 boroughs, and 22 townships. The following cities, boroughs and townships are located in Erie County:

Cities

* Corry *

(county seat)

Boroughs

Albion Albion is an alternative name for Great Britain. The oldest attestation of the toponym comes from the Greek language. It is sometimes used poetically and generally to refer to the island, but is less common than 'Britain' today. The name for Scot ...

* Cranesville * Edinboro * Elgin * Girard * Lake City * McKean *

Mill Village A mill town, also known as factory town or mill village, is typically a settlement that developed around one or more mills or factories, usually cotton mills or factories producing textiles. Europe Italy * ''Crespi d'Adda'', UNESCO World Her ...

* North East *

Platea Plataea or Plataia (; grc, Πλάταια), also Plataeae or Plataiai (; grc, Πλαταιαί), was an ancient city, located in Greece in southeastern Boeotia, south of Thebes.Mish, Frederick C., Editor in Chief. “Plataea.” '' Webst ...

* Union City *

Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...

* Wattsburg *

Wesleyville Wesleyville is a borough in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 3,229 at the 2020 census, down from 3,341 in 2010. It is part of the Erie Metropolitan Statistical Area. Geography Wesleyville is located at (42.137056, ...

Townships

* Amity Township * Concord Township * Conneaut Township * Elk Creek Township * Fairview Township * Franklin Township * Girard Township * Greene Township * Greenfield Township * Harborcreek Township * Lawrence Park Township * LeBoeuf Township * McKean Township * Millcreek Township * North East Township * Springfield Township * Summit Township * Union Township * Venango Township * Washington Township * Waterford Township * Wayne Township

Census-designated places

Census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, such ...

s are geographical areas designated by the

for the purposes of compiling demographic data. They are not actual jurisdictions under Pennsylvania law. Other unincorporated communities, such as villages, may be listed here as well. * Avonia * Fairview * Lawrence Park * Northwest Harborcreek * Penn State Erie (Behrend)

Population ranking

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Erie County. † ''county seat''

References

External links

Erie County

Erie County, PA Genealogy Page
{{Coord, 42.10, -80.10, display=title, type:adm2nd_region:US-PA_source:UScensus1990 1803 establishments in Pennsylvania Populated places established in 1803 Counties of Appalachia Populated places on the Underground Railroad

History

Geography

Adjacent counties

Major highways

Demographics

2020 Census

Metropolitan Statistical Area

Largest populations in Erie County

Government and politics

Erie County Council

Judiciary

Row officers

Politics

State Senate

State House of Representatives

United States House of Representatives

United States Senate

Education

Public school districts

Approved private schools

Community College

Recreation

Recreation

Annual events

Libraries

Communities

Cities

Boroughs

Townships

Census-designated places

Population ranking

See also

References

External links