The city of Erie, Pennsylvania is located in the northwestern area of the state. The city gets its name from the lake which derived its name from the Native American tribe which resided along the southern shore of the Great Lake. With a population of 102,000 the city of Erie is the 4th largest city in the state. The Metropolitan Area consists of around 280,000 inhabitants. The Urbanized Area population is roughly 195,000. The city of Erie forms the seat of government for the County of Erie.
Erie is located near Buffalo, New York, Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh and Cleveland, Ohio. The manufacturing sector is a prominent staple of the local economy and the area used to be busy with heavy industry. Tourism, higher education and healthcare are emerging as greater driving factors of the economy. Presque Isle State Park is visited by millions on an annual basis for water recreation. There are other attractions such as a horse racetrack and a casino that have been named for the state park.
Founded during the year 1795, Erie was initially settled by both French and English settlers. Soon after, the town supported a significant port and was focused on the trading of salt. During the year 1813, among the proudest historical moments took place within the city of Erie when Commodore Oliver Perry, whose majority of ships was constructed in the city of Erie, defeated the British in the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812.
The city eventually became a railroad center, helping the westward expansion of America and emerged as a maritime center. By the 20th century, the city of Erie has become a big industrial center. The manufacturing focus was mainly on iron and steel. These days, the city has grown to draw a more diverse mix of mid-sized businesses. Like for example, steel plants and small plastic have emerged and become driving forces within the economy of the city of Erie. The tourism sector has essentially grown in recent years as well.
The city is the main access point to Lake Erie, the Saint Lawrence Seaway and the Great Lakes for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. There are various places of interest in the city for both culture and recreation. For example, the Erie Children's Museum specializes in tourists aged 2 to 12 and provides a huge variety of interactive displays in the fields of science and the humanities. The Erie Art Museum is situated within a former U.S. Customs House. It provides a wealth of changing art exhibits featuring a lot on folk art and modern art.