Millcreek Township is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

in Erie County,

Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...

. The population was 54,073 at the 2020 census. It is the largest suburb of Erie, and the 12th largest municipality in the state. Millcreek Township is home to the entrance to Presque Isle State Park, Waldameer Park, the

Millcreek Mall The Millcreek Mall or Millcreek Mall Complex is a one-level shopping center southwest of downtown Erie, Pennsylvania, between Peach Street and Interstate 79, in Millcreek Township. The mall is the tenth largest shopping complex in the United ...

, and other attractions. Also located in the township is

Erie International Airport Erie International Airport Tom Ridge Field is a public airport southwest of Erie, in Erie County, Pennsylvania, United States. Airline service at Erie faces stiff competition from the Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Buffalo, and Toronto airports, al ...

, the major 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.

History

Evidence exists of Native American presence in Millcreek Township as early as 3700 BC. The township's Sommerheim Park is the location of the

Sommerheim Park Archaeological District The Sommerheim Park Archaeological District includes a group of six archaeological sites west of Erie, Pennsylvania in the United States. The sites are in Sommerheim Park, one of the few undeveloped areas of the Lake Erie shoreline, in Millcree ...

, which has yielded archaeological artifacts from the Archaic and

Woodland A woodland () is, in the broad sense, land covered with trees, or in a narrow sense, synonymous with wood (or in the U.S., the '' plurale tantum'' woods), a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade (see ...

periods.Johnson, William C. "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Sommerheim Park Archaeological District".

National Park Service The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properti ...

, 1981-06-29, p. 2. One of the earliest townships in the

Erie Triangle The Erie Triangle is a roughly 300-square-mile (780-square-kilometre) tract of American land that was the subject of several competing colonial-era claims. It was eventually acquired by the U.S. federal government and sold to Pennsylvania so tha ...

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. After the east–west roads were laid out, taverns began to sprout about every mile or so. Along the Ridge Road ( U.S. Route 20), which was laid west through Millcreek in 1805, one of the few that remain is the Nicholson Tavern. Built in 1836, mostly by Isabella Nicholson and her sons, it is still owned by the family and is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

. The

Presque Isle Light The Presque Isle Light, historically nicknamed the "Flash Light", is a lighthouse on the shore of Lake Erie in U.S. state of Pennsylvania. It is one of three lighthouses in Erie, along with the Erie Land Light and the North Pier Light. The ligh ...

and

are also listed. A recurving sandspit peninsula, Presque Isle, connects to the mainland in western Millcreek. During the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It be ...

, 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

. 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. Today, Waldameer Park is one of the oldest amusement parks in the nation.

Geography

According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the township has a total area of , of which is land and , or 2.20%, is water. 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.

Demographics

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 people per square mile (682.7/km). There were 22,369 housing units at an average density of 758.9/sq mi (293.0/km). The

racial makeup A race is a categorization of humans based on shared physical or social qualities into groups generally viewed as distinct within a given society. The term came into common usage during the 1500s, when it was used to refer to groups of variou ...

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%. 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 The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 7.0% of those under age 18 and 4.8% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Millcreek Township is served by the

Millcreek Township School District Millcreek Township School District is a school district serving Millcreek Township, a suburb of Erie, Pennsylvania. The total enrollment is 7,464 students. The District was the pilot district in the Start S.M.A.R.T. Program in 2002. Schools T ...

. Elementary Schools * Asbury Elementary School * Belle Valley Elementary School * Chestnut Hill Elementary * Grandview Elementary * Tracy Elementary School Middle Schools * James S. Wilson Middle School * Walnut Creek Middle School * Westlake Middle School High Schools *

McDowell High School McDowell High School is a public high school located in Millcreek Township, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Erie. It is the only high school in the Millcreek Township School District. The school's mascot is the Trojan. Students There are approximat ...

References

External links

Millcreek Township official website
{{Coord, 42, 09, 00, N, 80, 05, 59, W, type:city_region:US-PA_source:GNIS-enwiki, display=title Townships in Erie County, Pennsylvania Townships in Pennsylvania Pennsylvania populated places on Lake Erie