Each month, we feature an Ohio Legacy City on our #GOPCThread series, #OHCommunitySpotlight. This month, we spotlight Northeast Ohio’s Lorain, one of Ohio’s most beautiful lakefront cities.
This month’s #GOPCThread takes us to Northeast Ohio, as we visit @cityoflorain_oh, one of Ohio’s beautiful lakefront cities! With a population of around 65,000, Lorain is Ohio’s tenth largest city and the county seat of Lorain County.
A devastating tornado hit Lorain in 1924, and community leaders joined together in an effort to rebuild the community. @LorainPalace Theatre served as the cornerstone for “new Lorain”, and at the time, was built as the largest one-floor theatre in the state of Ohio.
The @lorainpalace Theatre opened in April 1928, filling the 1720 seats to watch a talking movie. Today, the theater seats 1400, and the building still provides residents and visitors with a chance to enjoy arts and culture in the historic building.
Nearly 100 years later, the pride and determination of residents in Lorain shines through! Recent efforts to promote civic engagement and revitalization are prime examples of the grit and determination of Ohio’s legacy cities.
Lorain is committed to preserving the history of the city & its residents in their embrace of the 21st century economy. In 2017, community leaders established the Lorain Revitalization Association & Main Street Lorain through a series of charrettes – community conversations!
Main Street Lorain was dedicated as a 501(C)3 in 2021, and hired a Lorain native as its first Executive Director. @MaxTorin leads the effort to promote collaboration and celebration to make downtown Lorain vibrant and accessible.
From this collaborative effort, #LorainProud was established, a moniker to unify the community through grassroots organization to spread the narrative of Lorain’s pride, patronage, and service.
Known as “The International City,” Lorain is home to residents from more than 70 diff. nations. Annually, the Lorain International Festival is a week-long celebration of nationality, culture, & community through music, food, & cultural celebration
@cityoflorain_oh has a vast park system, with over 50 parks that cover 800 acres, providing residents and visitors with tremendous opportunities to enjoy playgrounds, play sports, have a picnic, or stroll – on foot or bike!
Photo courtesy of the City of Lorain Parks and Recreation
Lakeview Park offers 20 acres of recreation for beachgoers to enjoy Lake Erie, and explore Lorain’s historic rose garden. City leaders secured lakeshore land during the boom of industrial expansion in the early 1900’s, and have maintained this public space for recreation since!
Photo Courtesy of Lorain County Metro Parks
To its north, Lake Erie’s shore meets the city, with the Black River flowing through the heart of town. The Erie Avenue Bridge was built in the 1930’s & today is known as the Charles Berry Bridge. When constructed, it was the largest bascule bridge in the world (& remains No. 2)
The bridge is a primary artery for travel between east & west Lorain, across the Black River. The bridge sees more than 1500 lifts per year for sailboats & ships to traveling the Black River. Today, @ODOT_Statewide currently funds the bridge – one of only three in the state.
Photo Courtesy of Lorain County
The Black River Landing, along the Black River, hosts the city’s Rockin’ on the River outdoor concert series that attracts national, regional, and local talent. @rocknontheriver is one of Northern Ohio’s longest running and highest attended outdoor concert series.
@cityoflorain_oh is an example of revitalization in action! We look forward to the continued collaboration and commitment community leaders have shown in their effort to make Lorain a community for residents, current and future, and visitors, to live, work, and spend time!