Erie, Pennsylvania
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{{redirect|Erie}}
{{Geobox|City
<!-- *** Name section *** -->
| name = Erie
| official_name = City of Erie
| category = [[List of cities in Pennsylvania|City]]
<!-- *** Image *** -->
| image = Eriesky2.jpg
| image_size =
| image_caption = The Erie skyline, facing south from [[Presque Isle State Park]] across Presque Isle Bay
<!-- *** Symbols *** -->
| flag = Flag of Erie, Pennsylvania.svg
| flag_size =
| symbol = Erie seal.svg
| symbol_type = Seal
<!-- *** Etymology & nickname & motto *** -->
| etymology =
| nickname = The Flagship City, The Gem City,<br>The Bay City
| motto =
<!-- *** Country etc. *** -->
| country = United States
| country_flag = true
| state = Pennsylvania
| state_flag = true
| region_type = County
| region = [[Image:Erie county flag.SVG|22px|border]] [[Erie County, Pennsylvania|Erie]]
| district =
<!-- *** Municipal parts *** -->
| part_type =
| part_count =
| part =
| part1 =
<!-- *** Geography *** -->
| area_imperial = 28.0
| area_land_imperial = 22.0
| area_water_imperial = 6.0
| area_urban_imperial =
| area_metro_imperial = 802
| location = [[Perry Square]]
| lat_d = 42
| lat_m = 7
| lat_s = 46.42
| lat_NS = N
| long_d = 80
| long_m = 5
| long_s = 6.77
| long_EW = W
| coordinates_type = region:US_type:city
| highest_name =
| highest location =
| highest_lat_d =
| highest_lat_m =
| highest_lat_s =
| highest_lat_NS =
| highest_long_d =
| highest_long_m =
| highest_long_s =
| highest_long_EW =
| highest_elevation_imperial = 733
| lowest_name =
| lowest_location =
| lowest_lat_d =
| lowest_lat_m =
| lowest_lat_s =
| lowest_lat_NS =
| lowest_long_d =
| lowest_long_m =
| lowest_long_s =
| lowest_long_EW =
| lowest_elevation_imperial =
<!-- *** Population *** -->
| population_as_of = 2001
| population = 103717
| population_urban = 175836
| population_metro = 280843
| population_density_imperial = 4723.1
| population_density_urban_imperial =
| population_density_metro_imperial =
<!-- *** Government *** -->
| government =
| established_type = Founded
| established = [[1795-04-18]]<ref name="Erie 200"/>
| established1_type = Incorporated
| established1 = [[1851-04-14]]
| government_type =
| mayor = Joseph Sinnott
| leader_type =
| leader1_name =
| leader1_type =
<!-- *** Various codes *** -->
| timezone = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset = -4
| timezone_DST = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST = -5
| postal_code_type = [[ZIP Code|ZIP Codes]]
| postal_code = 16501–16512, 16514–16515, 16522, 16530–16534, 16538, 16541, 16544, 16546, 16550, 16553–16554, 16563, 16565
| area_code = [[Area code 814|814]]
| area_code_type =
| code2_type =
| code2 =
<!-- *** Free fields *** -->
| free_type =
| free =
| free1_type =
| free1 =
<!-- *** Map section *** -->
| map = Pennsylvania Locator Map.PNG
| map_size =
| map_caption = Location of Erie within Pennsylvania
| map_locator = Pennsylvania
| map_locator_x =
| map_locator_y =
| map1 = Map of USA PA.svg
| map1_caption = Location of Pennsylvania in the United States
<!-- *** Website *** -->
| website = [http://www.erie.pa.us www.erie.pa.us]
<!-- *** Footnotes *** -->
| footnotes =
}}
'''Erie''' ({{pronEng|ˈɪəri}}) is an industrial city on the shore of [[Lake Erie]] in the northwestern corner of the [[U.S. state]] of [[Pennsylvania]]. Named for the lake and the [[Erie tribe|Native American tribe]] that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest [[city]] with a population of 104,000.<ref name="county facts">{{cite web|publisher=Erie County Government|url=http://www.eriecountygov.org/default.aspx?id=rec&HeadlineID=394298488593750&Action=ShowArticle|title=Interesting Facts about Erie County|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> Erie's Metropolitan Area consists of 281,000 residents. The city is the seat of government for [[Erie County, Pennsylvania|Erie County]].
Erie is in proximity to [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]], [[Ohio]]; [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]], [[New York]]; and [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania]]. 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. More than four million people each year visit [[Presque Isle State Park]],<ref name="bob">{{cite web|publisher=Pennsylvania DCNR|url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/STATEPARKS/parks/presqueisle.aspx|title=Presque Isle State Park|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> for water recreation, and a [[Presque Isle Downs|new casino]] named for the state park is growing in popularity.
Erie is known as the ''Flagship City'' because of the presence of [[Oliver Hazard Perry]]'s flagship [[USS Niagara (replica)|''Niagara'']].<ref name="city facts">{{cite web|publisher=The City of Erie|url=http://www.erie.pa.us/AboutErie/Facts/tabid/80/Default.aspx|title=About Erie—Facts|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> Erie has also been called the ''Gem City'' because of the "sparkling" lake.<ref name="city facts"/>
== History ==
{{main|History of Erie, Pennsylvania}}
The [[Iroquois|Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy]] and the [[Seneca Nation]] occupied the lands now known as Erie. 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. 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]]. 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.<ref>''History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Vol I'' (1884:Warner, Beer's and Company, Chicago), pg 503</ref>
[[Image:Niagara small.jpg|thumb|left|The [[USS Niagara (replica)|Brig ''Niagara'']] played an important role in the history of Erie.]]
Present day Erie would have been situated in a disputed [[Erie Triangle|triangle]] of land that was claimed by the states of [[New York]], [[Pennsylvania]], [[Connecticut]] (as part of its [[Connecticut Western Reserve|Western Reserve]]), and [[Massachusetts]]. 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 [[United States dollar|$]]151,640.25 (75 ¢/acre) in [[Continental (currency)|Continental certificates]]. The [[Iroquois|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 [[Seneca Nation]] separately settled land claims against Pennsylvania in February 1791 for the sum of $800.<ref name="sex">''Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Historical Reference Book of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Vol I'', pp 103–04</ref>
The General Assembly of Pennsylvania commissioned the surveying of land near Presque Isle through an act passed on [[April 18]], [[1795]]. [[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. Initial settlement of the area began that year.<ref name="sex"/><ref>''History of Erie County, Pennsylvania, Vol I'' (1884:Warner, Beer's and Company, Chicago), pg 505–06</ref> [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] [[Seth Reed]] and his family moved to the Erie area from [[Geneva, New York]] and became the first European settlers of Erie.
[[Image:662006erie-1922.jpg|thumb|right|A street in downtown Erie in the early 1920s]]
To wrest control of Lake Erie from the [[United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland|British]] during the [[War of 1812]], President [[James Madison]] ordered the construction of a naval fleet at Erie. 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]].<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=Flagship Niagara League|url=http://www.brigniagara.org/battle.htm|title=Niagara History–Battle of Lake Erie|accessdate=2007-05-30}}</ref>
Erie was an important railroad hub in the mid–nineteenth century, the city being the site where three sets of [[rail gauge|track gauges]] met. 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 [[standard gauge|standardized gauge]] was proposed, those jobs, and the importance of the rail hub itself, were put in jeopardy. The citizens of Erie, led by the mayor, set fire to bridges, ripped up track, and rioted to stop standardization.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.railroad.net/articles/columns/history/gauges/index.php|last=Shapiro| first=Carl|publisher=History in Motion|title=Railroad Guages (sic): A Standards Battle|accessdate=2007-05-29}}</ref>
On [[August 3]], [[1915]], the Mill Creek (the creek that [[Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania|Millcreek Township]] was named after) [[flood]]ed downtown Erie when a [[culvert]] blocked by debris, gave out.<ref name="hanna">{{citeweb|publisher=Erie County Historical Society|url=http://www.eriecountyhistory.org/GlobalPages/Photo4/LlbPhoto.html|title=Mill Creek Flood|accessdate=2007-06-22}}</ref> A four block reservoir, caused by torrential [[downpour]]s, had formed behind it. The "wall of water"<ref name="Erie 200">''Erie: 200 Years as a Community.'' [[Erie Times-News]] (1995).</ref> that resulted killed 12 people.<ref name="hanna"/> After the flood, Mayor [[Miles Brown Kitts|Miles B. Kitts]] had the Mill Creek diverted to a tube that would run under the city to the [[Lake Erie|lake]].<ref name="Erie 200"/>
Erie's importance gradually faded through the 1900s as the age of lake trade and commercial fishing drew to a close.<ref name="mary">{{citeweb|publisher=City-data.com|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Erie-History.html|title=Erie Detailed History|accessdate=2007-06-22}}</ref> Downtown Erie continued to grow for most of the 20th century, before taking a major population downturn in the 1970s.<ref name="mary"/> With the advent of the automobile age, thousands of residents left Erie for suburbs such as [[Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania|Millcreek Township]], which now has over 50,000 people.<ref name="mary"/>
{{wide image|Erie PA Panorama c1912 LOC 6a14402u.jpg|1200px|1912 [[panorama]] of downtown Erie}}
==Geography and geology==
[[Image:Bicentennial Tower.jpg|thumb|right|The [[Bicentennial Tower]] at the end of State Street on [[Dobbins Landing]].]]
Erie is situated at {{coor dms|42|6|52|N|80|4|34|W|city}} (42.114507, -80.076213),{{GR|1}} directly between [[Cleveland]], [[OH]], [[Buffalo, NY|Buffalo]], [[New York|NY]], and [[Pittsburgh, PA|Pittsburgh]], [[Pennsylvania|PA]] on the south-central shores of Lake Erie. Erie’s bedrock is [[Devonian]] [[shale]] and [[siltstone]], overlain by glacial [[till]]s and [[Sandur|stratified drift]]. Stream drainage in Erie flows northward into [[Lake Erie]], then through [[Lake Ontario]], the [[Saint Lawrence River|St. Lawrence River]], and out to the [[Atlantic Ocean]]. 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 River|Allegheny]] or [[Ohio River]]s.<ref name="Glacial Geology of Northwestern Pennsylvania">{{cite web| url=http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/pub/generalgeology/G32/G32.aspx| title=General Geology Report 32| accessdate=2007-11-02| publisher=Pennsylvania Geological Survey}}</ref>
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{sq mi to km2|28.0|wiki=yes}} with {{sq mi to km2|22.0}} 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.
[[Image:Erie, Pennsylvania map.png|thumb|left|A road map of Erie showing the major routes that travel through it.]]
Erie is laid out in a grid surrounding [[Perry Square]] in the downtown area.<ref name="emma">{{citeweb|publisher=Google Maps|url=http://maps.google.com/maps?client=firefox-a&hl=en&q=Erie,+PA&ie=UTF8&ll=42.165439,-80.085526&spn=0.191873,0.4422&z=11&iwloc=addr&om=1| title=Map of Erie, PA|accessdate=2007-07-02}}</ref> The downtown buildings, none being more than 14 stories, are separated from the waterfront by the Bayfront Parkway.<ref name="emma"/> 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, PA|Millcreek Township]] and [[Peach Street]] are among Erie's newer areas.
Most of the cityscape includes renovated and refurbished factory buildings, mid–rise housing, single family homes, and office buildings. Erie's waterfront includes the [[List of city parks of Erie, Pennsylvania|Pepsi Amphitheater]] and surrounding parkland, which hosts numerous festivals. The [[Bayfront Convention Center|Bayfront Convention Center and Hotel]] is on Sassafras Pier next to Dobbins Landing.<ref name="emma"/> 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. On the east end of the waterfront, the [[Erie Maritime Museum]] and the city's main library, and third largest in Pennsylvania, host the [[USS Niagara (replica)|Brig ''Niagara'']]. Docks and [[marina]]s fill the freshwater shoreline in between.
==Climate==
[[Image:Snowapril.jpg|thumb|right|190px|Snow in April]]
The climate of Erie is typical of the Great Lakes. Erie is located in the [[snow belt]] that stretches from [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] to [[Syracuse, New York|Syracuse]] and [[Watertown (city), New York|Watertown]]; accordingly, its winters are typically cold, with heavy [[lake effect snow]]. Summers tend to be hot and humid. On the [[Köppen climate classification]], Erie is in the warm summer humid continental climate zone (Dfa). 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 {{convert|88|in|cm}}.<ref>{{cite web |last=Cappella |first=Chris |date=[[2003-10-03]] |work=[[USA Today]] |url=http://www.usatoday.com/weather/resources/askjack/2003-10-01-snowiest-cities_x.htm |title=10 snowiest 'cities' aren't all in New York |accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> For the winter of 2007–2008, Erie received {{convert|118.7|in|cm}} of snow with the first snow of the season fell on [[November 6]].<ref>{{cite news| last=Rhodes |first=Kara |work=Erie Times-News |date=[[2008-03-29]] |url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080329/NEWS02/803290373/-1/RSS01 |title=Winter marches on |accessdate=2008-04-14}}</ref> The adverse winter conditions have been know to cause [[whiteout (weather)|whiteouts]], including one that caused a 50 car pile-up on [[Interstate 90]],<ref>{{cite news |author=[[Associated Press]] |date=[[2007-01-26]] |work=USA Today |url=http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-01-25-penn-pileup_x.htm|title=50-car |title=Pileup on snowy Erie highway |accessdate=2007-05-29}}</ref> and [[USAir Flight 499]] to overrun the runway at [[Erie International Airport]].<ref>{{cite web |publisher=[[National Transportation Safety Board]] |url=http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001213X32835&key=1 |title=Accident Report |accessdate=2007-05-29}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:90%;text-align:center;width:100%;line-height:120%"
! colspan="26" |Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures<span style="font-weight:normal;vertical-align:middle"><ref>{{cite web |publisher=US Travel Weather (ustravelweather.com) |title= Erie Weather |url=http://www.ustravelweather.com/weather-pennsylvania/erie-weather.asp| accessdate= 2007-05-05}}</ref></span>
|-
! ! colspan="13" |°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|Demographics of Erie, Pennsylvania}}
{| id="toc" style="float: left; margin-right: 2em; width: 39%; font-size: 75%;" cellspacing="3"
!colspan="3"|'''Erie Compared'''
|-
|'''[[United States Census, 2000|2000 Census]]'''||'''Erie'''||'''PA'''||'''U.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]]{{GR|2}} of 2000, there were 103,717 people, 40,938 households, and 24,480 families residing in the city. 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.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=City-data.com|url=http://www.city-data.com/us-cities/The-Northeast/Erie-Population-Profile.html|title=Erie Population Profile|accessdate=2007-06-28}}</ref> The city has lost over 40,000 people since the early 1970s, allowing [[Allentown, PA|Allentown]] to claim the position as Pennsylvania's third-largest city behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
{{USCensusPop
| 1880=27237
| 1890=40634
| 1900=52733
| 1910=66525
| 1920=93372
| 1930=115967
| 1940=116955
| 1950=130803
| 1960=138440
| 1970=142254
| 1980=119123
| 1990=108718
| 2000=103717
| footnote=Population 1880–1970.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The United States Census Bureau|url=http://www.census.gov/population/www/documentation/twps0027.html|title=Population of the 100 largest cities 1790-1990|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref><br /> Population 1980–2000.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The United States Census Bureau|url=http://www.census.gov/population/censusdata/c1008090pc.txt|title=1980-1990 Population of Places With 100,000 or More Inhabitants|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>}}
Erie's population was spread evenly among all age groups, with the median being 34. About 13% of families and 19% of the population were below the [[poverty line]]. Most of Erie's people are of European descent.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=helloerie.com|url=http://www.helloerie.com/Social.cfm|title=Erie Social and Demographic Information|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
Since the mid 1990s, the International Institute of Erie (IIE), founded in 1919, has helped with the resettlement of refugees from [[Bosnia and Herzegovina|Bosnia]], [[Eritrea]], [[Ghana]], [[Iraq]], [[Kosovo]], [[Liberia]], [[Somalia]], [[Sudan]], the former [[Soviet Union]], and [[Vietnam]]. The inclusion of refugees in Erie's community augments religious diversity and prompts community events such as cultural festivals.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=International Institute of Erie|url=http://www.interinsterie.org|title=International Institute of Erie–Home|accessdate=2007-06-15}}</ref>
In the early 20th century, Erie had a significant [[Russia]]n immigrant community, many of whom worked in the [[shipbuilding]] plants along the bayfront. Unusual for a Great Lakes city, a substantial number of these Russian immigrants were Priestless ([[Old Believers#Bespopovtsy|Bespopovtsy]]) [[Old Believer]]s. In 1983, most of this community united with the Russian Orthodox Church Outside of Russia, and became [[Edinoverie|Priested Old Ritualists]].<ref>[http://www.churchofthenativity.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=147&Itemid=57 Church of the Nativity: Our Parish, retrieved 6-23-2008]</ref> Even today, the gold-domed Church of the Nativity,<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.churchofthenativity.net|title=Church of the Nativity|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> on the bayfront near the former heart of the Russian community, is an Old Ritualist church.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=Russian Orthodox Outside Russia|url=http://www.russianorthodoxchurch.ws/english/pages/firsttier/diocesesbishops.html|title=Russian Orthodox Bishops|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> 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 Ritualists.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.orthodoxwiki.org/Daniel_(Alexandrow)_of_Erie/|title=Daniel Alexandrow on Orthodox Wiki|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref>[[Image:Mercyhurst2.jpg|thumb|left|Catholic influence is felt beyond the parish in Erie; here, at entrance to [[Mercyhurst College]].]]
Erie has a [[Jewish]] community that is over 150 years old. [[Temple Anshe Hesed]], a member of the [[Union for Reform Judaism]], is served by its spiritual leader, Rabbi John L. Bush.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.taherie.org/|title=Tah Erie|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> Erie is home to the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie]], covering 13 counties (9,936 sq mi- the largest in the state). Its diocesan seat is the [[St. Peter Cathedral, Erie|Saint Peter Cathedral]] in Erie, which has a {{convert|265|ft|m}} central tower flanked by two {{convert|150|ft|m}} towers. Constructed in 1873, it is among the tallest churches in the U.S.
According to the Association of Religion Date Archives,<ref>The ARDA Database has no precise figures on the membership of African American churches, so it provides an estimate of 25,000 members. The two Russian orthodox churches list no membership numbers. The Salvation Army lists over 4,000 members. Jews were under 1,000 and Quakers showed no membership.[http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/counties/42049_2000.asp]Retrieved on [[June 1]], [[2007]].</ref> 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|Economy of Erie, Pennsylvania}}
[[Image:Eriefactory01.jpg|thumb|right|Old factory in Erie at 16th and Greengarden Intersections. Across from the Railroad.]]
Erie is the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania's primary access point to [[Lake Erie]], the Great Lakes, and the [[Saint Lawrence Seaway]]. The city emerged as a maritime center after the [[American Revolution]], then as a railroad hub during the great American westward expansion. Erie became an important city for iron and steel manufacturing during the [[Industrial Revolution]] and thrived well into the 20th century with big industry.
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. 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.<ref>{{cite news |first=Jim |last=Martin |date=[[April 1]], [[2008]] |work=Erie Times-News |url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080401/NEWS02/804010378/-1/NEWS |title=It's a start: Jobless rate dips |accessdate=2008-04-22}}</ref> The national unemployment rate was 4.8%.
[[Image:Eriebeach33.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Beaches impact local economy]]
Erie is the corporate headquarters of [[GE Transportation]], [http://www.plastekgroup.com Plastek Industries, Inc.], and [[Erie Insurance Group]]. [[Lord Corporation]] was founded and has major operations in Erie.<REF>{{Cite web| last=McNeel | first=Rick | url=http://www.lord.com/tabid/2952/Default.aspx | publisher=Lord Corporation | title=Lord History | accessdate=2007-05-25 }}</REF> Over 10% of the nation's plastics are manufactured or finished in Erie-based plastics plants.<ref name="city facts"/> Erie is an emerging center for biofuels and environmental research, producing over 45 million gallons of biofuel a year.<ref>{{cite news| last=Carroll| first=Jim| publisher=Erie Times-News| date=[[2006-07-06]]| title=Biodiesel could fuel economy| url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060706/NEWS02/607060400&SearchID=73286058459115 |accessdate=2007-07-02}}</ref> Tourism plays an increasingly important role in the local economy with over 4 million people visiting [[Presque Isle State Park]] and other attractions. Canadian shoppers frequent the [[Millcreek Mall]] and [[Peach Street]] stores and attractions mostly because of Pennsylvania's [[tax exemption]] on clothing.
The city government is encouraging development through Commonwealth programs that encourage residents, universities and businesses to contribute toward the community’s [[economic]] health.<ref>{{cite news| last=Palatiella| first=Ed| title=Revised LERTA plan: Shorten program, target blighted areas| date=[[2007-05-06]]| publisher=Erie Times-News| pages=1A, 8A}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=YourErie.com|last=Sillvio|first=Matt|url=http://www.wjettv.com/content/fulltext/?cid=2074|title=Mayor Announces Lerta Plan|date=[[April 27]],[[2007]]|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite news| last=Miller| first=George| date=[[2007-05-15]]| publisher=Erie Times-News|url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007703150396|title=Erie Builds Master Plan|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> 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 ==
[[Image:Hamotheart.jpg|thumb|right|Hamot Heart Institute]]
Erie is a regional leader in health care with two of its hospitals being ranked nationally.<ref name="mul">{{cite web|publisher=Saint Vincent Health System|url=http://www.saintvincenthealth.com/about/history.htm|title=Saint Vincent History|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref><ref name="multy">{{cite web|publisher=Hamot Medical Center|url=http://www.hamot.org/a_AH_awards.php|title=Hamot Awards&Reconigtion|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> 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]]. 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.<ref name="mul"/>The Erie Shriners Hospital for Children has been operating in Erie since 1927.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=Shriners|url=
http://www.shrinershq.org/Hospitals/Erie/|title=Erie Shriners Hospital|accessdate=2007-06-12}}</ref> It won a 2007 achievement award from the [[Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania]].<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=HHAP|url=http://www.haponline.org/community_health/awards/2007/details.asp?ID=5aKYRU7SHXHLd9h1COE9|title=2007 HAP Achievement Award Winners|accessdate=2007-06-12}}</ref>
One of Erie's largest employers, [[Hamot Medical Center]], has consistently been ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country.<ref name="multy"/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Hamot Medical Center|url=http://www.hamot.org/a_AH_history_foundingOfHamot.php|title=Detailed History of Hamot|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.trcc.org/|title=The Regional Cancer Centers Home Page|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
==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. Pennelec, a [[FirstEnergy]] Company provide electricity to the region, as well as the Northwestern Pennsylvania Rural Electric Company. [[Time Warner Cable]] became the region's TV cable provider after taking over Adelphia.
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.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The City of Erie|url=http://www.ci.erie.pa.us/Departments/SewerDepartment/tabid/74/Default.aspx|title=Erie Sewer Department|accessmonthday=May 21|accessyear=2007}}</ref>
==Arts and culture==
[[Image:1920warner.gif|thumb|left|The Warner Theatre]]Erie is home to several professional and amateur performing-arts groups. The most significant is the [[Erie Philharmonic]], in continuous existence since 1913 (with the exception of an [[interregnum]] during [[World War II]]). This group of professional musicians also has a full [[Choir|chorus]] and a Junior Philharmonic division that tours the area.
The Lake Erie Ballet is a professional company that performs well-known programs throughout the year.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.lakeerieballet.org|title=Lake Erie Ballet|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> The Erie Civic Music Association attracts, sponsors, and books performances by professional musicians, singers, entertainers, and ensembles from around the world.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.eriecivicmusic.com/|title=Erie Civic Music Association|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> The [[Erie Art Museum]] is the city's main [[art gallery]], located in a former [[Custom house|U.S. Customs House]] on lower State Street near the bayfront. Its collection has an emphasis on [[folk art]] and [[modern art]] and it hosts a popular [[blues]] and [[jazz]] concert series.
Downtown Erie's historic and ornate [[Warner Theatre (Erie, Pennsylvania)|Warner Theatre]] hosts a range of performances. Renovated in the 1980s and again in 2007,<ref>{{cite web|publisher=[[WSEE-TV]]|url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070323/WSEE01/70322036&SearchID=73279381497185|title=Warner Renovations Unveiled|date=[[March 23]], [[2007]] |accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> the Warner is the hub of Erie's [[Louis J. Tullio Arena|Civic Center]]. 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.<ref>{{citeweb|url=http://www.roadhousetheatre.org|title=The Roadhouse Theater for Contemporary Art|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> The local Great Lakes Film Association (GLFA), which hosts the annual autumn Great Lakes Independent Film Festival, was founded in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Great Lakes File Festival|url=http://www.greatlakesfilmfest.com/|title=Great Lakes Film Association|accessdate=2007-06-25}}</ref>[[Image:Bostonstore.jpg|thumb|The iconic Boston Store in Downtown Erie]]
Along West 6th Street is Millionaires Row, a collection of 19th century [[Victorian architecture|Victorian]] mansions. The [[Erie Land Light|oldest lighthouse]] on the Great Lakes stands at the foot of Lighthouse Street.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=The National Park Service|url=http://www.cr.nps.gov/maritime/light/erieland.htm|title=Inventory of Historic Light Stations Pennsylvania Lighthouses–Erie Land Lighthouse|accessdate=2007-05-30}}</ref> 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. It is {{convert|187|ft|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.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau|url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070315/VISITERIE03/70315023&SearchID=73279381858352|title=Whats Ne–Presque Isle Downs|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> There are 2,000 slot machines as of opening day, and an adjoining racetrack which opened in September 2007.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=MTR Gaming|url=http://presqueisledowns.com/about/index.html|title=Presque Isle Downs Racing Overview|accessmonthday=May 21|accessyear=2007}}</ref>
== Sports ==
[[Image:ErieUht.jpg|thumb|right|Jerry Uht Park from the first-base side, overlooking downtown Erie.]]
{{main|Sports in Erie, Pennsylvania}}
Erie plays host to a number of semi-pro and professional sports teams. The [[Erie RiverRats]] are a member of the [[American Indoor Football Association]]. The [[Erie Illusion]] is a member of the [[National Women's Football Association]]. The [[Erie BayHawks]] are a member of the [[NBA Development League]]. The [[Erie Otters]] play hockey in the [[Ontario Hockey League]], and the [[Erie SeaWolves]] play double A baseball in the [[Eastern League (baseball)|Eastern League]] as an affiliate of the [[Detroit Tigers]]. Football and hockey games are played at [[Louis J. Tullio Arena]], while minor league baseball games are held at [[Jerry Uht Park]].
[[Gannon University]], [[Mercyhurst College]], and [[Penn State Erie, The Behrend College|Penn State Behrend]] have active collegiate sports programs. The local high schools compete in District 10 sporting events as well as the annual [[McDonald's Classic]]. Scholastic and intramural sports are held at school and [[List of city parks of Erie, Pennsylvania|park]] facilities around the city. The [[Mercyhurst Ice Center]] and Veterans Stadium are only two of the many sports arenas and stadiums available in and around the city.
Minutes away, just outside of [[North East, Pennsylvania|North East]], is the [[Lake Erie Speedway]], a 3/8 [[mile]] (0.6 [[kilometer|km]]) [[NASCAR]] sanctioned [[race track]]. [[Horse racing]] is found at the [[Presque Isle Downs]] [[racino]] in nearby [[Summit Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania|Summit Township]].
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
! scope="col" | Championships
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Erie SeaWolves]]
| [[Eastern League (baseball)|EL]], Baseball
| [[Jerry Uht Park]]
| 1995
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Erie Otters]]
| [[Ontario Hockey League|OHL]], Ice hockey
| [[Louis J. Tullio Arena]]
| 1996
| 1
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Erie RiverRats]]
| [[American Indoor Football Association|AIFA]], Indoor football
| [[Louis J. Tullio Arena]]
| 2008
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Erie BayHawks]]
| [[NBA Development League|NBA D-League]], Basketball
| [[Louis J. Tullio Arena]]
| 2008
| 0
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal;" | [[Erie Illusion]]
| [[National Women's Football Association|NWFA]], Women's football
| Tullio Field
| 2003
| 0
|}
==Recreation==
{{seealso|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 region's largest attraction is [[Presque Isle State Park]], drawing over four million visitors a year. The region grows grapes and produces the third largest amount of wine in the [[United States]].<ref name="county facts"/> 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]]).
[[Image:erieland.jpg|thumb|left|Erie Land Lighthouse]]
Erie is home to Presque Isle, a national landmark.<ref name="bob"/> The [[Seaway Trail]] runs through downtown Erie along the lakefront. The [[Tom Ridge Environmental Center]], at the foot of Presque Isle, features 7,000 sq ft (650 m²) of exhibit space.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=Tom Ridge Environmental Center|url=http://www.trecpi.org/features.html|title=TREC Features|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref>
Historical sites also draw people to Erie. [[Union Station (Erie)|Union Station]] and the [[Warner Theatre (Erie, Pennsylvania)|Warner Theatre]] are historical buildings still in use. The Erie Playhouse is the third oldest community theater in the U.S., but is the most active.<ref name="gene">{{Citation | first =Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau| title = ERIE 2007-2008 All Seasons Visitors Guide| place = Erie| year = 2007|}}</ref>
[[Image:Presque Isle Pennsylvania aerial view.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Presque Isle State Park. View is to the east-northeast.]]
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 [[USS Niagara (replica)|US Brig ''Niagara'']]; [[Millcreek Mall]], the 11th largest shopping mall in the United States,<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=American Studies at Eastern Connecticut State University |url=http://www.easternct.edu/depts/amerst/MallsLarge.htm|title=List of Largest Shopping Malls in the United States|accessdate=2007-05-27}}</ref> [[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;<ref name="gene"/> the [[Erie Zoo]], with its many animals and exhibits; and [[Waldameer Park|Waldameer Park and Water World]], a local amusement park.
==Law and government==
{{seealso|List of Mayors of Erie, Pennsylvania, United States|List of Burgesses of Erie, Pennsylvania|List of Members of Congress who have represented Erie, Pennsylvania}}
Erie city government consists of a [[mayor]] and [[city council]]. The mayor's office includes an elected city [[treasurer]] and city controller. 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. The city council meets in Mario S. Bagnoni Council Chambers at [[City Hall]].
[[Image:ErieCtyCourthouse EriePA.JPG|thumb|Erie County Courthouse, Erie, Pennsylvania]]
As of May 2007, Joseph Sinnott is mayor. Susan DiVecchio is city treasurer.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=City of Erie|url=http://www.erie.pa.us/Departments/CityTreasurer/tabid/66/Default.aspx|title=The City Treasurers Office|accessdate=2007-05-26}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=City of Erie|url=http://www.ci.erie.pa.us/CityCouncil/CityCouncilMembers/tabid/61/Default.aspx|title=Current Council Members|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
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.<ref name="jojo">{{citeweb|last=Bucsko|first=Mike|date=[[January 22]], [[2006]]|url=http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06022/642210.stm|publisher=Pittsburgh Post Gazette|title=Erie cuts work force|accessdate=2007-06-29}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{citeweb|date=[[April 15]], [[2005]]|last=Hahn|first=Tim|url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060614/NEWS02/606140482&SearchID=73285544078481|title= Chief:Erie still safe|publisher=[[Erie Times-News]]|accessdate=2007-06-29}}</ref> Since 2000, Erie has been experiencing a spike in drug-related crimes, due in part to a decrease in police officers.<ref name="jojo"/> As a known link in the drug trade, Erie has always had strong criminal ties to [[Detroit]] and [[New York City]].<ref>{{citeweb|last=Abogast|first=Sarah|url=http://yourerie.com/content/fulltext/?cid=3266|date=[[June 28]], [[2007]]|title=Erie Drug Bust|publisher=Action News 24|accessdate=2007-06-28}}</ref> Erie is the site of many major drug busts, although its crime rate is lower than the national average.<ref name="susan">{{citeweb|url=http://www.city-data.com/city/Erie-Pennsylvania.html|title=Erie Crime|publisher=City-data.com|accessdate=2007-06-29}}</ref> Erie's homicide rate per 100,000 residents increased from 1 in 2004 to 5.8 in 2005.<ref name="susan"/> 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.<ref name="susan"/>
==Education==
{{seealso|Colleges and universities of Erie}}
[[Erie City School District|Erie Public Schools]] enroll 12,527 students in primary and secondary grades.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=GreatSchools.com|url=http://www.greatschools.net/cgi-bin/pa/district_profile/188/|title=Erie City School District Profile|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> 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.
[[Image:LECOM Erie campus.jpg|left|thumb|[[LECOM]] main campus]]
Erie also contains several colleges and universities. Created in the 1970s [[Penn State Erie, The Behrend College]] is the largest Penn State branch.<ref name="penn">{{cite web|publisher=Penn State Erie|url=http://www.pserie.psu.edu/about.htm|title=About the College|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|publisher=Penn State Erie|url=http://www.erie.psu.edu/aboutPS/quickfacts.htm|title=2007 Enrollment Numbers|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> The university is noted for being one of the best value colleges in the country.<ref name="penn"/>
[[Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine]] (LECOM), a large medical campus with a branch in [[Bradenton, Florida]], has one of the largest enrollments of medical students in the country.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=LECOM|url=http://www.lecom.edu/lecom/news/2009Arrives.asp|title=Welcome Largest Class of Medical Students|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
[[Image:brigniagara.JPG|thumb|The Erie Maritime Museum, the Brig ''Niagara'', and the Blasco Library.]]
Other notable colleges in the Erie area include [[Mercyhurst College]], with the number one rated Division II lacrosse team in the US;<ref>{{cite web|publisher=Mercyhurst Athletics|url=http://hurstathletics.cstv.com/sports/m-lacros/spec-rel/050707aag.html|title=Lakers End Season Ranked No. 1|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> [[Allegheny College]], [[Edinboro University of Pennsylvania]], a large college in nearby Edinboro; and [[Gannon University]], a Catholic university in downtown Erie.
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.<ref>Flowers, Kevin, ''DiVecchio to Visit Community College'', Erie Times-News, 10 May 2007, pg 6B; Exploratory trips have included visits to [[Schnecksville, Pennsylvania#Schools|Lehigh Carbon Community College]] near [[Allentown, Pennsylvania]] in November 2006, and [[Sinclair Community College]] in [[Dayton, Ohio]] in May 2007.</ref> 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.<ref>We're All Positive About This: County Hopes to Have Community College in September 2009, by Kevin Flowers, Erie Times-News, pp 1B, 2B, January 18, 2008</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|Erie Library|publisher=Erie's Libraries|url=http://www.erielibrary.org/history.html|title=A Brief History of the Erie County Public Library|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> It is the third largest library in Pennsylvania.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=City of Erie|url=http://www.ci.erie.pa.us/AboutErie/Facts/tabid/80/Default.aspx|title=Raymond M. Blasco Library|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> 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]].
== Transportation ==
{{main|Transportation in Erie, Pennsylvania}}
Erie's [[Metropolitan Planning Organization]] (MPO) generates an annual Erie Area Transportation Study for the [[Pennsylvania Department of Transportation]] (PennDOT). 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.<ref name="multiple">{{cite web|publisher=Pennsylvania DOT|url=ftp://ftp.dot.state.pa.us/public/Bureaus/Cpdm/STC/TransProgramLists/2007TYPNarrative.pdf|format=PDF|title=Pennsylvania's 2007 Transportation Program|date = [[August 3]] [[2006]]|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
[[Image:Bayfrontconnecterie.jpg|thumb|left|The Bayfront Connector connects I-90 with the waterfront.]]
Erie is well connected to the [[Interstate Highway System]]. Six highway exits from [[Interstate 90]] connect travelers to Erie from [[Boston, Massachusetts]] and points east, and from [[Cleveland, Ohio]] and points west. 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. 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 86 (east)|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, New York|Binghamton]].
The city has several [[arterial road]]s. [[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 plan|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 [[Peach Street|Upper Peach Street]].
[[Image:intermodal.JPG|thumb|The Intermodal Transportation Center at the end of Holland Street]]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 [[Trailways Transportation System|Fullington Trailways (owned by Fullington Auto Bus Company)]] provide daily bus service, including routes with local stops between Erie and [[DuBois, Pennsylvania|DuBois]] and [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]], with connections to other destinations.<ref name="multiple"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ridesforallpa.com/getting_there.htm|title=Intercity Bus Service in Pennsylvania|publisher=The Transportation Advocacy Project|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
The former "Water Level Route" of the [[New York Central]] Railroad (now the [[CSX]] mainline) travels directly through Erie. 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. Norfolk Southern decided to remove the 19th Street tracks in 1998.<ref>{{cite news| author=Hofius, Sarah| coauthors=Piet, Elizabeth| date=[[2005-06-08]]| publisher=Erie Times-News| url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050608/FRONTPAGE/506080368&SearchID=73285370706681| title=Residents track changes along old railroad line|accessdate=2007-06-26}}</ref> The 19th Street rail traffic is now routed onto the transcontinental mainline. [[Amtrak]]'s [[Lake Shore Limited]] arrives at the [[Union Station (Erie)|Union Station]], in downtown Erie, twice daily. Although there has been much discussion in recent years in favor of adding trains along the southern shore of [[Lake Erie]] to link [[Buffalo, New York|Buffalo]] with [[Cleveland, Ohio|Cleveland]] and beyond, there are no near-term plans to begin this service.
[[Image:Lastdc9ERI.jpg|thumb|left|The last [[DC-9]] to fly for [[US Air]] arriving at [[KERI|Erie International Airport]]]]
[[Erie International Airport]] ([[International Air Transport Association|IATA]]: ERI; [[International Civil Aviation Organization|IACO]]: KERI), located 5 miles (8 [[kilometre|km]]) southwest of the city, hosts [[general aviation]], charter, and scheduled [[airline]] service. Airlines serving Erie include [[Continental Airlines]], [[US Airways]] and [[Northwest Airlines]]. 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.<ref>{{cite web|author=Carroll, Jim | publisher=Erie International Airport|url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/ERIEAIR_NEWS/50304068|title=Erie International 3rd in nation for increased passenger departures | date = [[March 4]] [[2005]] |accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref><ref name="multiple"/>
The Port of Erie is in Presque Isle Bay, a natural harbor formed by [[Presque Isle]]. The [[Port authority|Erie-Western Pennsylvania Port Authority]] provides [[Water taxi|water-taxi service]] in the summer months between Dobbins Landing and Liberty Park in downtown Erie, and the Waterworks ferry landing on Presque Isle.<ref>{{cite web|publisher=The Port of Erie|url=http://www.porterie.org/transit_map_lg.gif|title= Bayfront Transportation Systems|title=Erie Bayfront Transportation System|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.greatlakescruising.com/mariner-prince/american-waterways.php|title=Great American Waterways| publisher = Great Lakes Cruise Company|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref> The Great Lakes Cruise Company and the American Canadian Cruise Line advertise this cruise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.accl-smallships.com/Cruise_Details.cfm?Cruise_ID=39|title=Great American Waterways 2007 | publisher = American Canadian Caribbean Line Itinerary|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
== Media ==
[[Image:Erietimes2.jpg|thumb|right|The Erie Times–News main office]]
{{main|Media in Erie, Pennsylvania}}
Erie is served by [[Erie Times-News|The Erie Times-News]], the city's only daily newspaper, although there are several alternative weekly and monthly publications.
Erie is ranked as the 142nd largest television market by Nielsen Media Research.<ref>{{citeweb|publisher=Time Warner|url=http://www.cablemediasales.com/pages/mkts/?cp=mkts&sp=dma&dma=eri|title=Erie DMA|accessdate=2007-05-25}}</ref> The market is served by stations affiliated with major American networks including [[WICU-TV|WICU 12]] (NBC), [[WJET-TV|WJET 24]] (ABC), [[WFXP|WFXP 66]] (FOX), [[WSEE-TV|WSEE 35]] (CBS), and [[WBEP]] (CW). [[WQLN (TV)|WQLN 54]] is a member of PBS (several Cleveland stations can be seen in the area). 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 [[Town twinning|sister cities]] as designated by [[Sister Cities International]]:<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=George| date=[[2007-03-24]]| url=http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070324/NEWS02/703240354&SearchID=73277773742235| publisher=Erie Times-News| title=Erie adds Irish Sister City|accessdate=2007-05-21}}</ref>
* {{flagicon|Ireland}} - [[Dungarvan]], [[Ireland]]
* {{flagicon|Poland}} - [[Lublin]], [[Poland]]
* {{flagicon|Mexico}} - [[Merida]], [[Yucatan]], [[Mexico]]
* {{flagicon|China}} - [[Zibo]], [[China]]
== See also ==
{{Portal|Erie|Erie seal.svg}}
*[[List of famous people from Erie, Pennsylvania]]
*[[Harborcreek Township, Pennsylvania|Harborcreek Township, Erie, County, Pennsylvania]]
*[[Lawrence Park, Pennsylvania|Lawrence Park Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania]]
*[[Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania]]
*[[Wesleyville, Pennsylvania|Wesleyville Borough, Erie, County, Pennsylvania]]
==References==
{{Reflist|2}}
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==External links==
{{commonscat|Erie, Pennsylvania}}
*[http://www.erie.pa.us/ City of Erie] - Official Site
*[http://www.eriepa.com/ Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership]
*[http://www.eriepa.com/assets/marketingtools/eriepafactsheet.pdf Erie, PA Media Fact Sheet (2008)]
*[http://www.visiteriepa.com/ Erie Area Convention and Visitors Bureau]
*[http://www.erieblogs.com/wiki/index.php?title=Everything_Erie_Wiki Everything Erie wiki] - Local wiki site
*[http://www.rootsweb.com/~paerie/bates/batesindx.htm History of Erie County, by Samuel P. Bates, (1884), Part III covers City of Erie]
{{Erie, PA}}
{{Erie County, Pennsylvania}}
{{County Seats of Pennsylvania}}
{{Pennsylvania}}
{{Featured article}}
[[Category:Erie, Pennsylvania|Erie]]
[[Category:Erie County, Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Settlements established in 1795]]
[[Category:Cities on the Great Lakes]]
[[Category:County seats in Pennsylvania]]
[[Category:Port cities in the United States]]
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