Heman Ely came here in the early 1800s, and quickly recognized the area’s unique potential and beauty. It reminded him of the pleasant times he had spent in the Lorraine Region of France. The industries such as shipbuilding, steelmaking, and fishing brought people, money and railroads to the area. A growing economy attracted more residents, and in 1822 Lorain County was formed from parts of Cuyahoga, Medina, and Huron counties.
The Lorain Steel Plant still remains an industrial icon of the county. Like other local landmarks, the Steel Mill remains part of county history. The steel industry created jobs for over a thousand workers, who moved their families from across the northern United States. Today, some of the original industries still exist, but on a smaller scale.
The heritage of Lorain County is everywhere - from the early home of the "Spirit of '76" painter, Archibald Willard in Wellington, through the Historic Harbourtown 1837 shopping district of Vermilion and the real ship pilot house at the Inland Seas Maritime Museum, to the county seat of Elyria. On the north, there is the "Jewel of the Port", the historic Lorain Lighthouse. Further south, in Elyria sits the Hickories Museum, the restored home of industrialist and pioneer automaker Arthur Garford (friend of Theodore Roosevelt). A shoreline beach along Lake Erie called Lakeview Park offers spectacular sunsets, historical bathhouses, a stunning rose garden, and views of the Lorain Lighthouse.
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