Erie, city (2020 pop. 94,831), seat
of Erie co., NW Pa., on Lake Erie; inc. as a city 1851. Pennsylvania's only
port on the Great Lakes, Erie is a busy shipping point for coal, iron ore,
grain, petroleum, machinery, and lumber. Its manufactures include hospital
equipment; locomotives; paper, food, plastic, and wood products; and
industrial heaters. Fort Presque Isle was built in 1753 by the French,
occupied and rebuilt in 1760 by the English, and destroyed during Pontiac's Rebellion in 1763. A peace
conference between the British and Native Americans was held in 1764, but
the town was not laid out until 1795. Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet was launched at Crystal
Point before his victory over the British during the battle of Lake Erie in
1813. Gannon Univ., Mercyhurst College, Villa Maria College, and a branch of
Pennsylvania State Univ. are in the city. Many historic buildings remain in
Erie; nearby are Presque Isle State Park and a gambling casino and
racetrack.
The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2024, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.
See more Encyclopedia articles on: U.S. Political Geography
