Millcreek Township is home to the entrance to Presque Isle State Park, Waldameer Park, Millcreek Mall, and other attractions. Also located in the township is Erie International Airport, the primary airport serving the Erie metropolitan area. LECOM Health, a non-profit healthcare system serving Erie County and the surrounding areas, also calls the township home.
One of the earliest townships in the Erie Triangle to be settled, Millcreek was one of the original 16 townships of Erie County. As families came they moved from the bayfront settlement of Erie and began to form small hamlets such as Federal Hill, Kearsarge, Marvintown, and Weigelville, all to become part of Mill Creek Township. As the Erie settlement grew, first into a borough, then a city, it annexed more and more sections of the township.
A recurving sandspit peninsula, Presque Isle, connects to the mainland in western Millcreek. During the War of 1812, Oliver Hazard Perry commanded his fleet in battle and strategically used the peninsula's bay as a harbor to construct six out of nine of the ships in his fleet. In 1921, the peninsula was made a state park and was designated a National Natural Landmark by the National Park Service. Today, the park is a bird sanctuary with over 150 different species identified here.
Just west of the entry into Presque Isle was a well-forested area known as Hopkins Grove. The Erie Electric Motor Company purchased the grove in 1896 for development into an amusement park. Waldameer Park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the nation.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 32.8 square miles (84.9 km2), of which 32.1 square miles (83.1 km2) is land and 0.73 square miles (1.9 km2), or 2.20%, is water.[7]
Today, land use in Millcreek is dedicated to retail, commercial and service-oriented businesses, to light industry, public and private schools, and residential areas. About 1% of the land is still zoned for agriculture. Located within its borders is Edinboro University's Porreco College, Zuck Park, the Erie Golf Course, and the Asbury Woods Nature Center and Recreation Center.
At the 2000 census, there were 52,129 people, 21,217 households, and 14,088 families living in the township. The population density was 1,768.5 inhabitants per square mile (682.8/km2). There were 22,369 housing units at an average density of 758.9 per square mile (293.0/km2). The racial makeup of the township was 96.55% White, 1.09% African American, 0.09% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.30% from other races, and 0.62% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.99%.[12]
There were 21,217 households, 30.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.0% were married couples living together, 8.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.6% were non-families. 29.0% of households were made up of individuals, and 11.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.01.
The age distribution was 24.1% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.4% from 25 to 44, 25.2% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% 65 or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.6 males.
The median household income was $45,019 and the median family income was $56,341. Males had a median income of $41,868 versus $26,610 for females. The per capita income for the township was $24,279. About 3.9% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.
^Johnson, William C. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Sommerheim Park Archaeological District". National Park Service, 1981-06-29, p. 2.
United States of America
Pennsylvania
