Erie 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. PresqueIsle 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, the Erie Art Museum, and the Museum of Erie County History are located downtown. |  Bicentennial Tower, Erie (Photo by Douglas Boldt) Theaters Erie has no downtown movie theaters. The Warner Theatre (1931) is a restored movie palace that now has touring Broadway shows, the Erie Philharmonic, and other concerts. The Strand Theatre (1948) is now used by Erie Playhouse, a community theater. Sports The Erie Seawolves, Double-A Eastern League affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, play at downtown’s Jerry Uht Park (1995). Erie Insurance Arena (1983) hosts sporting events, concerts, and special events.
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