Lorain

Formed December 26, 1822 (72^nd county)

Lorain County (312,974), Elyria (52,664), Lorain (65,214)

The masonry Renaissance structure was built with columns in 1882.  It originally had a dome on top.  The courthouse is on the square where Court Street meets 2^nd and 3^rd streets.  The facility is 1 ½ miles west of United States Highway 20 in the middle of the city.  Elijah E. Myers provided the designs.  A Justice Center was added in 2005 as well as an Administrative Center.  A park is in front of the courthouse as well as a rot iron fence and veteran memorials.  The county was founded on December 26, 1822 from parts of Huron, Cuyahoga, and Medina counties as the 72^nd county.  Elyria has always been the county seat.  The county is named for the French province of Lorraine.  Elyria is named for settler Herman Ely.  Lorain County is the birthplace of 1 Ohio Governor, Myron T. Herrick. 

Lorain County government consists of an auditor, a sheriff, an attorney, and a coroner (executive).  It has 3 Commissioners (legislative.)  Nine Common Pleas Court Judges and a court clerk serve Lorain County (judicial.)  Lorain County is on the northern border with Canada.  Lake Erie forms the northern border.  Cleveland, Ohio is directly east and Toledo, Ohio is west of the county.  The county center is in Elyria 1.2 miles West of the city center.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Canada and Cuyahoga, Medina, Ashland, Huron, and Erie counties.  

The area of the county is 492.5 square miles.  It is 28 out of 88 in the state.  It ranks 9 out of 88 in population in the state.  It has a density of 635.5 persons per square mile making it 10 out of 88 in the state.  Lorain County has 82.7% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 80 travels through the county east to west from Cuyahoga County to Erie County.  Interstate Highway 90 enters from Cuyahoga County and joins Interstate Highway 80 into Erie County.  United States Highway 6 goes east to west from Cuyahoga County to Erie County.  United States Highway 20 parallels Interstate Highway 80 from Cuyahoga to Huron counties.  The county resembles a steam ship sailing north.  Elyria is located in the northern third of the county.  Lorain is on the northwest coastline.  Elyria is the county seat and Lorain is the largest city.  Elyria is 16.8% of the county population while Lorain is 20.8% of the county population.  The county and largest city are pronounced LOE-RAEN.  The county seat is pronounced E-LER-EE-A.  This county is in the Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Vermilion