Mercer

Mercer, county, northwestern Pennsylvania, U.S., bordered by Ohio to the west and located midway between the cities of Erie and Pittsburgh. It consists of rolling hills on the Allegheny Plateau. The principal waterways are the Shenango and Little Shenango rivers, Shenango River Lake, and Lake Wilhelm, which is surrounded by Maurice K. Goddard State Park.

The county was created in 1800 and named for Hugh Mercer, a general in the American Revolution. The main communities are Hermitage, Sharon, Farrell, Grove City, Greenville, and Sharpsville. The borough of Mercer is the county seat. The economy is based on heavy industry, bituminous coal mining, and agriculture (dairy, hay, and oats). Area 672 square miles (1,740 square km). Pop. (2000) 120,293; (2010) 116,638.