Settlers began arriving in the area in the late 1700s, and one of the earliest was Michael Hare, who staked his claim on land given to him by the newly-formed government of the United States.  He and his wife Elizabeth built a log cabin in 1795 on the banks of a creek that is known to us today as Hare Creek, located one mile north of Corry.

The construction of railroad tracks through the piney woods in the early 1800s heralded a new era.  By 1861, the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad intersected the Sunbury & Erie Railroad at a spot called, appropriately enough, Junction.  The land at Junction was owned by Hiram Cory, who sold a small piece of this 63-acre holding to the A&GW Railroad in October of 1861.  Mr. Hill, superintendent of the railroad, was so pleased by Mr. Cory's fair price that he renamed Junction in his honor, although he misspelled it in the process.  That was the beginning of the City of Corry.

The combination of railroad growth and the discovery of oil in nearby Titusville contributed greatly to Corry's development.  This boomtown was chartered as a borough in 1863 and designated as a city in 1866.  Industry has played a big part in Corry's growth, and the Corry Area Historical Society maintains a museum where one of the Climax locomotives (the steam engine used in logging operations that brought fame to Corry) is on display.

Corry is located at the junctions of three counties - Erie, Warren and Crawford.  Because no single county profile accurately reflects the nature of the area, a composite picture must be drawn using statistics from all three counties.  During the past 145 years, Corry has grown from a railroad boomtown to a nice, stable place to raise a family and run a business.

Important Facts:

• Located in northwest Pennsylvania, Corry is the second largest city in Erie County
• One half of the population of United States lives within 500 miles of Corry.  Corry is within two hours driving time of Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Buffalo.
• There are approximately three dozen industries located in Corry that produce a wide variety of products.
• There are 6,500 people living in Corry's 2,500 households and another 12,000 live within a 12-mile radius.
• Any type of plane, from single engine to corporate turbo-jet, can land at Corry-Lawrence Airport.
• The Corry Area Chamber of Commerce can provide you with detailed information on the Corry area upon request.  814-665-9925.

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