Lorain County a Shining Star

Lorain County Bicentennial 1824-2024

Lorain County’s history has been filled with many successes and challenges over the past 200 years, and they have all helped to shape the community we view as home today. Heman Ely, (for which the City of Elyria is named) came here in the early 1800’s and recognized the area’s potential and beauty. It reminded him of the Lorraine Region of France that he had visited, and in 1822 when the Ohio Legislature officially formed a new county out of parts of Cuyahoga, Medina, and Huron counties, it was christened Lorain County.

The Bicentennial provides us a chance to pause and reflect on the businesses and institutions as well as the men and women who shaped our county. Having a historical perspective prepares us to understand our role and responsibility in continuing Lorain County’s growth for the next 200 years. Lorain County continues to be a shining star within the State of Ohio, as we regularly see our population increase each census. With our access to fresh water from Lake Erie, our location is also at the crossroads of

Interstate 80 and Interstate 90, with air, railroad, and watershipping access, we should continue the good work of our predecessors and continue the history of “making things” here. But our forefathers would no doubt be dumbfounded by the advanced manufacturing and robotics that continue to make efficiency improvements in our local plants.

Lorain County has been and continues to be an agricultural community that acts as an engine of growth for our local GDP and as more modern and sustainable agricultural practices continue to become “the norm”, we will see more adaptation locally as well.

We have always been at the forefront of access to education here in Lorain County as well. Elyria High School was chartered as the first high school west of the Allegheny Mountains. Oberlin College was founded and became the first college to enroll women and then African Americans. In 1963, Lorain County Community College was chartered and became the first community college in Ohio to establish a permanent campus. For the past 25 years, LCCC has offered bachelor’s degrees through the University Partnership and most recently began offering the first bachelor of applied science in microelectronic manufacturing in Ohio. These degrees will fuel well-paying jobs at companies like Ohio’s new Intel plant.

Adversity has helped shape our community as well. As we were celebrating our Centennial in 1924, the City of Lorain was hit by a tornado that destroyed most of the downtown area. Obviously in those days, so much commerce was done in our downtown areas, it’s easy to see how devastating this could be for any community. Photos mark the before and after, but the historic Ariel Broadway Hotel and the Palace Theater both stand today as a testament to good coming out of bad. Likewise, when Elyria businessman Edgar “Daddy” Allen lost his son due to lack of adequate medical services, he started a fundraising campaign to build a hospital in Elyria. He then spearheaded a campaign for building Gates Hospital, the first hospital in the US dedicated to caring for children with disabilities. The Ohio Society for Crippled Children eventually became Easter Seals. Multiple communities in Lorain County, including Wellington, Oberlin, Elyria, and Lorain were part of the Underground Railroad, helping enslaved African Americans reach freedom to Canada via ship from Lorain.

Regardless of the good or bad, Lorain County has persevered and is now seen as a great place to live, work, play, and pray. The ability to open a business or raise a family knows no boundaries here and we work with one another to make things happen in Lorain County. We view our place within the

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Valley City, OH

Northeast Ohio region as an important piece of the economy fueling Ohio and the United States. Lorain County has been a welcoming community for the past 200 years, having seen waves of immigrants coming here from all over the world. We continue to welcome those looking to help us celebrate our past, live in our present and build for our future.

Tony Gallo, Lorain County Chamber President and Bicentennial Committee Member