Erie County, Pennsylvania

Erie County was established on March 12, 1800, from part of Allegheny County, which absorbed the lands of the disputed Erie Triangle 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.^[4]

Since Erie County and its newly established neighboring Counties of Crawford, Mercer, 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.^[5] Unfortunately, on March 23, 1823, the Erie County Courthouse burned and all county records to that point were destroyed.^[6]

The county was originally settled by immigrants of "Yankee" 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 more than it did Pennsylvania with its population primarily consisting of settlers from Connecticut, Rhode Island and Maine.^[7] 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 origins or were Yankees from upstate New York whose families had moved to that place from New England only one generation earlier, in the aftermath of the Revolutionary War. This resulted in Erie County being culturally very contiguous with early New England culture.

Erie County was part of the Underground Railroad 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.^[8]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,558 square miles (4,040 km²), of which 799 square miles (2,070 km²) is land and 759 square miles (1,970 km²) (49%) is water.^[9] 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.^[10] 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, Summit 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, on the east by Warren County, on the south by Crawford County, and on the west by Ashtabula County, Ohio. Directly north of the county is Lake Erie. This position on the water makes Erie County the only county in Pennsylvania to share a border with Canada, which is located on the far shore of the lake.

Most of the county has a warm-summer humid continental climate (Dfb), except at lower elevations near enough to the lake, where a hot-summer humid continental climate (Dfa) exists. 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.^[11] The hardiness zone in most of Erie County by area is 6a. It has warmed to 7a along the Lake and the area between the shore and a line a little south of Interstate 90 is 6b. [1]

Because of its location in the northwesternmost part of the state, Erie County is the only county to border both New York and Ohio, and is also the only county in the state on the Canadian border.

• Haldimand County, Ontario (north)
• Norfolk County, Ontario (northwest)
• Chautauqua County, New York (northeast)
• Warren County (southeast)
• Crawford County (south)
• Ashtabula County, Ohio (southwest)

According to the 2010 census, there were 280,566 people, 110,413 households, and 70,196 families residing in the county. The population density was 351.2 inhabitants per square mile (135.6/km²). There were 119,138 housing units at an average density of 149.1 per square mile (57.6/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 88.2 percent White, 7.2 percent Black or African American, 0.2 percent Native American, 1.1 percent Asian, 0.03 percent Pacific Islander, 1.2 percent from other races, and 2.1 percent from two or more races. A further 3.4 percent of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 24.4% were of German, 12.5% Polish, 12.3% Italian, 10.1% Irish, 6.5% English and 6.4% American 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 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.

The United States Office of Management and Budget^[14] has designated Erie County as the Erie, PA Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). As of the 2010 U.S. Census^[15] the metropolitan area ranked 11th-most populous in Pennsylvania and the 164th-most populous in the United States with a population of 280,566.

Erie County is part of the larger Erie-Meadville, PA Combined Statistical Area (CSA), which combines the populations of Erie County as well as Crawford County to the south. The Combined Statistical Area ranked seventh in Pennsylvania and 102nd-most populous in the United States with a population of 369,331.

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 that year, and Joe Biden narrowly flipping the county in 2020.^[16] Since 1992, the county has voted for the statewide winner in presidential elections.

The county seat of government is in Erie. The county has a home-rule charter and is run by a county executive. The current County Executive is Brenton Davis.^[19] Davis assumed the office on January 3, 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 of Records. see latest list

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.

As of February 5, 2024, there are 173,388 registered voters in Erie County.^[20]

• Democratic: 80,042 (46.16%)
• Republican: 67,856 (39.14%)
• Independent: 18,041 (10.40%)
• Third Party: 7,449 (4.30%)

Unlike most of northwestern Pennsylvania, Erie County tends to lean Democratic in statewide and national elections.

The county is considered a bellwether politically.^[21]

• Dan Laughlin (R), Pennsylvania's 49th Senatorial District
• Scott Hutchinson (R), Pennsylvania's 21st Senatorial District

• 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
• Jake Banta (R), Pennsylvania's 4th Representative District
• Brad Roae (R), Pennsylvania's 6th Representative District

• John Fetterman (D)
• Bob Casey (D)

• Mike Kelly (R), Pennsylvania's 16th congressional district

• Barber National Institute, Erie, Pennsylvania

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.^[22][23]

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

• Erie Bluffs State Park – one of Pennsylvania's newest state parks
• Presque Isle State Park – one of Pennsylvania's oldest state parks and the most-visited state park in Pennsylvania.^[24]

• Splash Lagoon Indoor Waterpark
• Millcreek Mall
• Presque Isle Downs and Casino
• Presque Isle State Park
• Erie Zoo
• Tom Ridge Environmental Center
• Erie Maritime Museum
• Warner Theatre
• Erie Art Museum
• Waldameer Park
• Erie County Public Library

• Roar on the Shore

The foremost public library in Erie is part of the Erie County library system, which consists of five branches and a bookmobile.^[25] The Raymond M. Blasco, M. D. Memorial Library, named for its benefactor, opened in 1996.^[26] Now called the Main Library or the Erie County Public Library, is the third-largest library in Pennsylvania.^[27] 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 on Dobbins Landing. The Main Library is praised for its waterfront views of the Presque Isle Bay, 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.^[28]

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.^[28] 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.^[28] The library also provides a heritage room where one can conduct genealogy research concerning their ancestors who resided in Erie County or Northwest Pennsylvania.^[29]

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.^[25] 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.^[30]

Under Pennsylvania law, there are four types of incorporated municipalities: cities, boroughs, townships, and, in at most two cases, towns. 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:

• Corry
• Erie (county seat)

Census-designated places are geographical areas designated by the U.S. Census Bureau 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)

The population ranking of the following table is based on the 2010 census of Erie County.^[15]

† county seat

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Erie County, Pennsylvania

• Erie County
• "History of Erie County, Pennsylvania" (1884)
• Erie County, PA Genealogy Page

42°06′N 80°06′W / 42.10°N 80.10°W / 42.10; -80.10