Erie

Erie is a city on the south shore of Lake Erie and the county seat of Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city was named for the Native American Erie people who lived in the area until the mid-17th century. It is known as the "Flagship City" because of its status as the home port of Oliver Hazard Perry's flagship Niagara. Erie's manufacturing sector remains prominent in the local economy, though insurance, healthcare, higher education, technology, service industries, and tourism are emerging as significant economic drivers. Erie won the All-America City Award in 1972. In 2012, Erie hosted the Perry 200, a commemoration celebrating 200 years of peace between Britain, America, and Canada following the War of 1812 and Battle of Lake. Erie is in what was the disputed Erie Triangle, a tract of land comprising 202,187 acres in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania fronting Lake Erie. It was claimed after the American Revolutionary War by the states of New York, Pennsylvania, Connecticut (as part of its Western Reserve), and Massachusetts. It became a part of Pennsylvania on March 3, 1792, after Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York relinquished their rights to the land and sold the land to Pennsylvania for 75 cents per acre or a total of $151,640.25 in continental certificates. The name of the fort refers to the peninsula that juts into Lake Erie, now protected as Presque Isle State Park. The French term presque-isle means peninsula (from the Latin paene and insula, both literally, "almost an island"). When the French abandoned the fort in 1760 during the French and Indian War, it was the last post they held west of Niagara.

History

Indigenous peoples occupied the shoreline and bluffs in this area for thousands of years, taking advantage of the rich resources. The French constructed Fort Presque Isle near present-day Erie in 1753, as part of their effort to defend New France against the encroaching British colonists. Erie is in what was the disputed Erie Triangle, a tract of land comprising 202,187 acres in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania fronting Lake Erie. It became a part of Pennsylvania on March 3, 1792, after Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New York relinquished their rights to the land and sold the land to Pennsylvania for 75 cents per acre or a total of $151,640.25 in continental certificates. The city was an important shipbuilding, fishing, and railroad hub during the mid-19th century. In an event known as the Erie Gauge War, the citizens of Erie, led by the mayor, set fire to bridges, ripped up track, and rioted to try to stop the standardization. Erie was considered a wet city during the Prohibition Era in the United States. Erie's economy began to suffer in the latter part of the 20th century as industrial jobs moved out of the area and into other parts of the U.S. The importance of the Rust Belt, American manufacturing, and commercial fishing began to gradually decline in a major downturn in the 1970s and 1980s, resulting in the advent of the automobile age and the World War II for construction for highway subsidies.

Geography

Erie is situated in Northwestern Pennsylvania at 42°652N 80°434W (42.114507, -80.076213), on the southern shore of Lake Erie across from the Canadian province of Ontario. It is 100 miles (160 km) northeast of Cleveland, Ohio, 90 miles (140 km) southwest of Buffalo, New York, and 128 miles (206 km) north of Pittsburgh. Lake Erie is about 571 ft (174 m) above sea level, while the city is about 728 ft (222 m)Above sea level is St. Peter Cathedral at 265 ft (81 m), and the tallest building is Renaissance Centre at 198 ft (60 m) Erie is laid out in a grid surrounding Perry Square in the downtown area, with the downtown buildings separated from the waterfront by the Bayfront Parkway. Presque Isle State Park juts into Lake Erie just north of the city limits and has 7 miles (11 km) of public beaches, wetlands, and fishing sites. Erie is third on The Daily Beast's list of snowiest places in the United States, averaging 78.7 inches (200 cm) in the winter. Average annual snowfall in the decade from 2010-2019 was 100.8 inches (256 cm) The highest temperature ever recorded was 100 °F (38 °C) on June 25, 1988. An average of 3 days have lows of 0 °C (18 °C), or colder annually, and the lowest temperature everRecorded was 18 °F on January 19, 1994, and February 16, 2015.

Demographics

As of the 2010 United States Census, 101,786 people, 40,913 households, and 22,915 families were residing in the city. Erie has long been declining in population due to the departure of factories and dependent businesses. The city has lost about 40,000 people since the early 1960s, allowing Allentown to claim the position as Pennsylvania's third-largest city behind Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. Most of the people who reside in Erie are of European descent. Since the 1980s, the International Institute of Erie has helped with the resettlement of refugees from Bosnia, Eritrea, Ghana, Iraq, Kosovo, Liberia, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Somalia, Sudan, Romania, Russia, Syria, and Vietnam. Erie is home to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Erie, covering 13 countiesat 9,936 sq mi (25,734 km²), it is the largest in the state in area. Its diocesan seat is Saint Peter Cathedral in Erie, which has a 265 ft (81 m) central tower flanked by two 150 ft (46 m) towers. Since October 1, 2012, Lawrence T. Persico has been the bishop of Erie; Donald Trautman is the bishop emeritus of the diocese. In 2000, Erie County had a total population of 280,843 people in 2000, of which 103,333 claimed affiliation with the Catholic Church. About 13% of families and 19% of the population were below the poverty line.

Economy

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. Over 10% of the USA's plastics are manufactured or finished in Erie-based plastics plants. Erie is an emerging center for biofuels and environmental research, producing over 45 million U.S. gallons of biofuel a year. Tourism plays an increasingly important role in the local economy with over 4 million people visiting Presque Isle State Park and other attractions. Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) is a fast-growing educator and provider of quality healthcare in the city. The United States Department of Veterans Affairs operates the Erie Veterans Affairs Medical Center on East 38th Street. Both UPMC Hamot and Saint Vincent Health System are also major employers in Erie. The Shriners International has operated ShrinERS Hospital for Children in Erie since 1927. LECOM is located both in theCity and adjacent Millcreek Township. The zip code 16501 covering some of the downtown areas is considered one of the poorest neighborhoods in the country. The Erie City School District is located in the town of Millcreek, Pennsylvania. It is the home of the Erie Insurance Group and Marquette Savings Bank. Lord Corporation was founded and has major operations in Erie, along with GE.

Arts and culture

Erie is home to several professional and amateur performing-arts groups. The Erie Art Museum is the city's main art gallery, located in the Old Customshouse on State Street. The downtown area is the home of the Erie Playhouse, one of the leading community theaters in the country. Erie has been the location for many movies, including the hometown for fictional band The Wonders in That Thing You Do! featuring Tom Hanks. It is mentioned in the film Wall Street as the location of the fictional company Anacott Steel. Erie is the hometown of Train lead singer, Patrick Monahan, and author Marc Brown, the author and illustrator of Arthur books and TV series. There are five branches of Erie County library system in Erie, and a bookmobile. The Main Library opened in 1996, and is the third-largest library in Pennsylvania. Presque Isle Downs opened on February 28, 2007, and was the fourth slots parlor in the state and the first in Western Pennsylvania. The Bicentennial Tower, on Dobbins Landing at the foot of State Street, was built in 199596 to celebrate the city’s bicentennial. It gives a panoramic view of Lake Erie and downtown. The Lake Erie Ballet is a professional company that performs well-known programs throughout the year. Along West 6th Street is Millionaires Row, a collection of 19th-century Victorian mansions. First Presbyterian Church of the Covenant, a well- known landmark, is also located here.

Sports

The Erie SeaWolves play AA baseball in the Eastern League as an affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The Erie Otters play hockey in the Ontario Hockey League. The Mercyhurst Ice Center, JMC Ice Arena, Erie Sports Park, and Erie Veterans Memorial Stadium are many sports arenas and stadiums available in and around the city. Gannon University, Mercyhurst University, Edinboro University, and Penn State Behrend have active NCAA collegiate sports programs. The local high schools compete in PIAA District 10 sporting events. Cathedral Preparatory School hosts the annual high-school basketball tournament featuring top national teams, called the Burger King Classic since 2010. Scholastic and intramural sports are held at school and park facilities around theCity. The city is home to a number of minor league and professional sports teams, including the Erie Insurance Arena, UPMC Park, Erie Insurance Stadium, and the Erie Otter's ice hockey team. It is also home to the Erie International Airport, a major international airport, as well as Erie International Speedway, a world-renowned ice hockey venue, and several other amusement parks. The City of Erie is also the home of the Pennsylvania State Police, which has one of the largest police forces in the U.S., with more than 1,000 officers on duty at any one time. It also has the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs through the city, which is a major thoroughfare for the city's residents. It was the site of the first train station, which was built in 1881.

Parks and recreation

Downtown Erie is surrounded by Presque Isle State Park, a National Natural Landmark. The Seaway Trail runs through downtown Erie along the lakefront. The region grows grapes and produces the third-largest amount of wine in the United States. The indoor waterpark Splash Lagoon, in Summit Township, is the largest indoor water park on the East Coast and third- largest in the US. The Erie Maritime Museum, the home port of the Niagara, is located in nearby Millcreek Township. The 2,600,000 sq ft (240,000 m2) Millc Creek Mall, one of the largest shopping malls in the U.S., is located on Peach Street in nearby Millcreek Township. The Bicentennial Tower overlooks Lake Erie; Dobbins Landing, a pier in downtown Erie; the Erie Land Light, and the Erie Maritime Museum are all located in the town of Erie. It is the fourth-oldest amusement park in Pennsylvania and the 10th-older in the USA. The city is also home to the Erie Seaplane Museum, which was founded in 1875 and is the oldest operating seaplane museum in the world. It was the first seaplane base to be built in North America, and is still in operation today. The town is home to a number of historic buildings, including the Erie Castle, which dates back to the 17th century. It also hosts the Erie Museum of Art and Science, which opened in 1876.

Government

The city of Erie is incorporated as a third-class city under Pennsylvania law. Incorporated under an "optional charter", the city is governed by a mayorcouncil government. The government consists of a mayor, treasurer, and controller, and a seven-member city council. They are elected to four-year terms, with the terms of the council designed to be overlapping. The mayor is chief executive and the city council prepares legislation and conducts oversight. Erie is the largest city in Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district and is currently represented in Congress by Republican Mike Kelly, who was elected in 2010. The city is split by the 1st and 2nd Districts of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and is represented by Democrats Patrick Harkins and Robert E. Merski, respectively. Republican Dan Laughlin of the 49th District represents Erie in the Pennsylvania State Senate. As of April 2021, the Erie City Council consists of:Liz Allen, Michael Keys, Ed Brzezinski, Chuck Nelson, Maurice Troop, Mel Witherspoon, and Maurice "Mo" Troop. The council meets in Mario S. Bagnoni Council Chambers at City Hall. Joseph Schember (D) is the mayor of Erie and was first elected in 2017. He is the city's first openly gay mayor, and the first openly bisexual mayor, as well as a former police chief. He was elected to his first term in 2017, and is the current mayor of the city.

Education

Erie Public Schools enroll 12,527 students in primary and secondary grades. The district has 23 public schools including elementary, middle, and high schools, with one charter school. Other than public schools, the city is home to more than 40 private schools and academies. Erie County Council approved sponsorship of the Erie County Community College on June 28, 2017. The county executive's administration took the lead in presenting the proposal to the Pennsylvania State Board of Education for approval. The proposal was supported by a cross-section of business, civic, labor, and community leaders. Erie is also home to the Barber National Institute and its Elizabeth Lee Black School, which provides services and education for children and adults with mental disabilities. The Achievement Center also serves the needs of children from birth to age 21 with physical and mental health disabilities. It provides services in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and it is located in the city's downtown area. The main campus of the school is in Erie, but it also has campuses in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. It also has a satellite campus in Pittsburgh, where it provides services to the city and surrounding counties. The school's main campus is in the southeast part of the city, and its main campus also is in Pittsburgh. It is located on the former site of Erie High School and Northwest Pennsylvania Collegiate Academy. The city also has three Catholic high schools: Cathedral Preparatory School, Mercyhurst Preparatory school, and Villa Maria Academy. It has a large medical school, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM).

Air Quality, Water Quality, Superfund Sites & UV Index

The Air Quality index is in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania = 23.2. These Air Quality index is based on annual reports from the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The number of ozone alert days is used as an indicator of air quality, as are the amounts of seven pollutants including particulates, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, lead, and volatile organic chemicals. The Water Quality Index is 80. A measure of the quality of an area’s water supply as rated by the EPA. Higher values are better (100=best). The EPA has a complex method of measuring the watershed quality, using 15 indicators such as pollutants, turbidity, sediments, and toxic discharges. The Superfund Sites Index is 20. Higher is better (100=best). Based upon the number and impact of EPA Superfund pollution sites in the county, including spending on the cleanup efforts. The UV Index in Erie = 3.5 and is a measure of an area's exposure to the sun's ultraviolet rays. This is most often a combination of sunny weather, altitude, and latitude. The UV Index has been defined by the WHO (www.who.int/news-room/questions-and-answers/item/radiation-the-ultraviolet-(uv)-index) and is uniform worldwide.

Employed

The most recent city population of 94,831 individuals with a median age of 36.3 age the population grows by 0.23% in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania population since 2000 and are distributed over a density of 4,956.67 residents per square mile of area (1,913.81/km²). There are average 2.36 people per household in the 41,193 households with an average household income of $31,925 a year. The unemployment rate in Alabama is 10.00% of the available work force and has dropped -4.94% over the most recent 12-month period and the projected change in job supply over the next decade based on migration patterns, economic growth, and other factors will increase by 20.12%. The number of physicians in Erie per 100,000 population = 229.9.

Weather

The annual rainfall in Erie = 39.4 inches and the annual snowfall = 77.1 inches. The annual number of days with measurable precipitation (over .01 inch) = 160. The average number of days per year that are predominantly sunny = 157. 80 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily high temperature for the month of July and 20.4 degrees Fahrenheit is the average daily low temperature for the month of January. The Comfort Index (higher=better) is 52, where higher values mean a more pleasant climate. The Comfort Index measure recognizes that humidity by itself isn't the problem. (Have you noticed nobody ever complains about the weather being 'cold and humid?) It's in the summertime that we notice the humidity the most, when it's hot and muggy. Our Comfort Index uses a combination of afternoon summer temperature and humidity to closely predict the effect that the humidity will have on people.

Median Home Cost

The percentage of housing units in Erie, Erie County, Pennsylvania which are owned by the occupant = 50.25%. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, or room occupied as separate living quarters. The average age of homes = 61 years with median home cost = $74,050 and home appreciation of -2.48%. This is the value of the years most recent home sales data. Its important to note that this is not the average (or arithmetic mean). The median home price is the middle value when you arrange all the sales prices of homes from lowest to highest. This is a better indicator than the average, because the median is not changed as much by a few unusually high or low values. The property tax rate of $17.44 shown here is the rate per $1,000 of home value. If for simplification for example the tax rate is $14.00 and the home value is $250,000, the property tax would be $14.00 x ($250,000/1000), or $3500. This is the 'effective' tax rate.

Study

The local school district spends $5,176 per student. There are 15.8 students for each teacher in the school, 1278 students for each Librarian and 535 students for each Counselor. 4.65% of the area’s population over the age of 25 with an Associate Degree or other 2-year college degree, 11.14% with a master’s degree, Ph.D. or other advanced college degree and 6.06% with high school diplomas or high school equivalency degrees (GEDs).