| Presque Isle State Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category IV (habitat/species management area) | |
 Aerial view of Presque Isle toward the east-northeast | |
  Location of Presque Isle State Park in PennsylvaniaPresque Isle State Park, Lake Erie, and Erie, Pennsylvania  Presque Isle State Park (the United States) | |
| Location | Millcreek, Erie, Pennsylvania, United States |
| Coordinates | 42°9′47″N 80°6′3″W / 42.16306°N 80.10083°W |
| Area | 3,112.1 acres (12.594 km2)[1] |
| Elevation | 576 ft (176 m) |
| Established | May 1921 |
| Named for | presqu'île, French for "peninsula" |
| Visitors | Over 4,000,000 annually[2] |
| Governing body | Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources |
| Website | Presque Isle State Park |
| Designated | 1967 |
Presque Isle State Park (/prɛsk/ PRESK) is a 3,112-acre (1,259 ha) Pennsylvania State Park on an arching, sandy peninsula jutting into Lake Erie, 4 miles (6 km) west of the city of Erie, in Millcreek Township, Erie County, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The peninsula sweeps northeastward, surrounding Presque Isle Bay along the park's southern coast. It has 13 miles (21 km) of roads, 21 miles (34 km) of recreational trails, 13 beaches for swimming, and a marina. Popular activities at the park include swimming, boating, hiking, biking, and birdwatching.
The recorded history of Presque Isle begins with the Erielhonan, a Native American tribe who gave their name to Lake Erie, and includes French, British, and American forts, as well as serving as a base for Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry's fleet in the War of 1812. With the growing importance of shipping on Lake Erie in the 19th century, Presque Isle became home to several lighthouses and what later became a United States Coast Guard station. In 1921, it became a state park, and as of 2007 it hosts over 4 million visitors per year, the most of any Pennsylvania state park.[2]
The Presque Isle peninsula formed on a moraine from the end of the Wisconsin glaciation and is constantly being reshaped by waves and wind. This leads to seven ecological zones within the park, which provides a classic example of ecological succession. A National Natural Landmark since 1967, the park has been named one of the best places in the United States for watching birds, particularly in the Gull Point Natural Area. The Tom Ridge Environmental Center at the entrance to the park allows visitors to learn more about the park and its ecology. Presque Isle State Park has been chosen by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Parks for its list of "25 Must-See Pennsylvania State Parks".[3]
The park was one of five Pennsylvania State Parks in the path of totality for the 2024 solar eclipse, with 3 minutes and 45 seconds of totality.[4]
- ^ Bogden, Sharon, ed. (2013). The Pennsylvania Manual. Vol. 121. Harrisburg: Pennsylvania Department of General Services. pp. 9–13. ISBN 978-0-8182-0357-2.
- ^ a b "Presque Isle State Park". Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Archived from the original on October 9, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2007.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
must seewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ R, Mike (September 8, 2021). "Pennsylvania 2024 Solar Eclipse State Parks". CosmosPNW. Retrieved October 3, 2022.