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Erie Fast Facts
  • Founded in 1795
  • Nicknamed the Flagship City and Gem City
  • Home port of the U.S. Brig Niagara (reconstructed flagship that helped win the Battle of Lake Erie in the War of 1812)
  • Fourth largest city in Pennsylvania and the state's only lake port city
  • Largest employer is GE Transportation, manufacturer of locomotives
  • An average of 1.5 million fish are caught each year in Lake Erie, its bays and tributaries
  • Named in Top 20 family fishing spots in the nation, by Field & Stream magazine
  • Home to the oldest land lighthouse on the Great Lakes
  • Population: City-103,717; County-280,843 (2000 Census)
  • Climate: Average temperature: 51.9 F; average summer high: 76.4 F; Average winter high: 35 F
 

Things to Do

NiagaraWhether you like shopping, cultural attractions, or outdoor recreation, there are plenty of things to do and see in the Erie region.

The Peach Street corridor, just a 10-minute drive from the Penn State Behrend campus, is filled with seemingly endless shopping and dining options. Downtown Erie, only a 15-minute drive from campus, boasts cultural attractions like the Erie Art Museum and Erie Playhouse, as well as a number of unique shops and restaurants. And Presque Isle State Park, a 20-minute drive from campus, features miles of Lake Erie beaches for swimming and relaxing and trails for walking, biking, and rollerblading.

Or travel just a bit further to take advantage of Peek 'n Peak Resort’s world-class skiing and golfing, the culture of the Chautauqua Institution, and the many wineries on the Lake Erie Wine Trail.