Population

2010: 101,786, #271 in U.S., #4 in Pennsylvania

1950: 130,803, #75 in U.S.

2010 Metropolitan Area: 280,566, #164 in U.S.

1950 Metropolitan Area: 219,388, #89 in U.S.

Setting

The city of Erie, on the shores of Lake Erie, was first settled in 1795. Presque Isle State Park is a peninsula stretching into the lake, near downtown. Gannon University is located downtown.

Buildings

Tallest building: Renaissance Centre, 198 feet (1926)

The Bicentennial Tower (1996, 187 feet) is a public observation tower on the downtown waterfront.

Stores

Erie has no downtown department stores.

Trains

Amtrak’s Lake Shore Limited goes west from Erie’s Union Station (1927) to Cleveland and Chicago, and east to Boston and New York City. Union Station is also used for private offices and the Erie Rail Museum.

Museums

The Erie Maritime Museum and the Erie Art Museum are located downtown.