Union City is a rural, revitalizing borough in southern Erie County
Enough furniture factories opened in the small borough of Union City through the 19th and 20th centuries that it was called “The Chair Capital of the World.” The decline of manufacturing turned the borough into a rural commuter suburb to Erie into the 21st century. However, a loss of local jobs has not translated to a loss of local identity. Exhibits in the Union City Historical Society Museum preserve the borough’s past, and years of residential and Main Street beautification initiatives have maintained UC’s century-worn architecture for modern residents. Today, colorful murals fill Main Street with visions of Union City’s proud industrial past and a future fueled by French Creek Valley recreation. “Union City gives this small downtown area to one of the more off-the-grid areas in southern Erie County,” says Libby Remache, a Realtor with Howard Hanna Erie East who’s specialized in Erie County for more than 9 years. “I love the drive down there; there’s such beautiful nature and scenery. It’s all forests and wildlife.”
Early 20th-century homes from about $30,000
Blocks of single-family homes meander around main roads, railroad tracks and French Creek throughout Union City. Most houses were built in the early 1900s for the borough's many furniture factory workers. Simple housing styles from that period, including National homes, bungalows and farmhouses, mix along sidewalk-lined streets. Prices usually range from around $30,000 to $230,000, depending on whether the house is a fixer-upper or recently renovated. While many homes in Union City have seen better days, the borough’s residential properties have received more than $1 million in improvements since 2018 through the Erie County Gaming Revenue Authority’s Renaissance Grant Program. Locals can contact the borough for more details on how to receive matching grant funds for their own revitalization projects.
Borough parks and Union Township recreation
The playground and rentable picnic pavilions at Union City’s Caflisch Park make it a favorite spot for private get-togethers and larger borough festivities like National Night Out. Parents cheer from the stands next to the American Legion Little League Fields. Residents can drive less than 15 minutes to more rural recreation areas that fill forests between Erie and Crawford counties. "The biggest draw around Union City is Lake Canadohta. It’s a nice, private recreation community with a lot of cottages around it, almost like Dirty Dancing,” Remache says. “Jet skiing, swimming, boating – pretty much anything you can do on a mid-size lake, you can do there.” Closer to home in Union Township, locals might tee off at the Union City Country Club or head to the Union City Dam to hike or fish along French Creek.
Attending the Union City Area School District
Union City is served by the Union City Area School District. Union City Elementary School earns a B-minus from Niche, as does Union City Middle School. Union City High School scores a C-plus and offers career-specific curriculum through the pathways to the future program. Students might choose coursework in clusters like arts and communication or science and health, depending on their interests.
Shopping and dining on UC’s Main Street
State Route 8 becomes Union City’s Main Street, lined by both mom-and-pop businesses and the kinds of chains and gas stations that often pop up on major highways. The Union City Public Library is a short walk from the Countryside Grille, where locals can settle in for homestyle diner specials on cow print counter stools. The Buzz of UC Cafe serves coffeehouse staples and breakfast sandwiches in the dining room and through the drive-through window. Old-fashioned commercial buildings house specialty stores that range from Ace Hardware to the antique-packed French Creek Mercantile. TOPS Friendly Markets is the borough’s grocery store.
The French Creek Festival and other community events
Classic cars, carnival games and craft vendors converge outside Union City High School each summer for the French Creek Festival. Whether neighbors compete in the Miss French Creek Pageant or just enjoy the funnel cake, everybody gets together for the finale fireworks display. Several churches hold religious services and smaller community events in the borough. Saint Teresa of Avila Church hosts their family-friendly Lawn Festival during the summer and is a favorite spot for Lenten fish fry dinners.
Commuting to Erie County cities and lake-effect snow conditions
Route 8 and U.S. Route 6 are Union City’s major connecting roads. Erie is about 25 miles away, as is Erie International Airport. Corry Memorial Hospital is closer to 15 miles from home. The region is car-dependent, but residents can also access limited Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority buses in the borough. Lake-effect snow from Lake Erie makes Union City and the surrounding region susceptible to extremely heavy snow through the winter months. Until snowplows come through and storms let up, motorists either expect delays or stay off the road.
Mitigating flood risk on French Creek
Low-lying properties and roads along the South Branch of French Creek may flood after unusually heavy rain. The Union City Dam reduces flooding on the main waterway. Buyers can check maps to understand their potential risk and need for flood insurance.
Written By
Julia Szymanski
