Erie County, Pennsylvania: Key Moments that Helped Shape a Nation

Erie County’s location on the Great Lakes, and the natural harbor formed by Presque Isle, has made it a significant location for travel, trade, and defense for centuries. Its name is derived from the Eriez tribe of Native Americans who had settled on the southern shores of Lake Erie and called this region home long before European settlers arrived. Since that time, Erie County and the surrounding region has played a pivotal role in several major historic moments.

Pre-Revolutionary War

As European settlers colonized and sought to settle in America, Northwestern Pennsylvania’s waterways made the region a high‑stakes crossroads, fueling dramatic clashes among the French, British, and Native tribes. In 1753, the French doubled down on their claim by building Fort Presque Isle near present‑day Erie and Fort LeBoeuf near today’s Waterford. That same year, a young and determined major in the British Colonial Army, George Washington, set out on a 1,000‑mile mission to Fort LeBoeuf to demand the French withdrawal—an early journey that helped shape his future leadership. Today, visitors can relive this pivotal moment along Washington’s Trail, ending in Waterford at a one‑of‑a‑kind statue of Washington in his British Colonial Militia uniform.

The War of 1812

When the War of 1812 erupted, Erie’s location on the Great Lakes made Presque Isle Bay one of America’s most important strategic assets. Its naturally protected harbor became a bustling naval base and shipyard, where the brigs Niagara and Lawrence were built and launched. Under the command of Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, these ships helped secure a victory in the 1813 Battle of Lake Erie – one of the largest and most decisive battles of the war. Today, visitors can step directly into this history aboard the U.S. Brig Niagara, a wooden-hulled replica that calls Erie home and offers tours and unforgettable sailing opportunities on the same waters where America’s naval legacy was forged.