Editing Lorain, Ohio

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name            = Lorain, Ohio
| nickname        = International City,<ref>{{cite web|title=Lorain's International Legacy|url=https://www.lorainhistory.org/lorains-international-legacy/|publisher=Lorain Historical Society|date=c. 2016|access-date=February 20, 2022}}</ref> Steel City<ref>{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Trymaine|title=The Heartland: Life and Loss in Steel City|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/specials/geographyofpoverty-heartland-1|website=msnbc.com|date=May 7, 2016 |publisher=MSNBC|access-date=December 19, 2016}}</ref>
| settlement_type = [[City]]

<!-- Images -->
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| image_style = border:1;
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| image1      = Lorain,_Ohio_Skyline.jpg
| caption1    = Downtown Lorain
| image2      = Downtown lorain, ohio 2.jpg
| caption2    = Broadway
| image3      = Lorain Palace Theater.jpg
| caption3    = [[Lorain Palace Theatre|Palace Theatre]]
| image4      = Lorain lighthouse - Flickr - ronnie44052 (1).jpg
| caption4    = [[Lorain West Breakwater Light|Lorain Lighthouse]]
| image5      = Joseph H. Thompson.jpg
| caption5    = [[Charles Berry Bridge]]
}}
| image_flag  = Flag of Lorain, Ohio.png
| image_seal  = Lorian.png

<!-- Maps -->
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| map_caption              = Interactive map of Lorain
| pushpin_map              = Ohio#USA
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| pushpin_label            = Lorain
<!-- Location -->
| subdivision_type         = Country
| subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
| subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Ohio|County]]
| subdivision_name         = [[United States]]
| subdivision_name1        = [[Ohio]]
| subdivision_name2        = [[Lorain County, Ohio|Lorain]]

<!-- Government -->
| government_type          = [[Mayor–council government|Mayor–council]]
| leader_title             = Mayor
| leader_name              = 
| leader_title2            = City council
| established_title        = Founded
| established_date         = 1807<ref>{{cite web|title=History of Lorain - Chronology|url=http://www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/research/local-research/local-history-resources/history-of-lorain-ohio--chronology|website=Lorain Public Library System|publisher=Lorain Public Library|access-date=December 19, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161024073848/http://www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/research/local-research/local-history-resources/history-of-lorain-ohio--chronology|archive-date=October 24, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| established_title2       = Incorporated
| established_date2        = [http://www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/research/local-research/local-history-resources/early-history-of-lorain February, 1817]
| established_title3       = Incorporated
| established_date3        = July 16, 1834 ([[Incorporated township|township]])<ref>{{cite web|url=http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?/5444/category/912|website=Remarkable Ohio|access-date=June 1, 2016|title=4-47 Founding of Lorain &#124; Remarkable Ohio|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160406080327/http://remarkableohio.org/picture.php?%2F5444%2Fcategory%2F912|archive-date=April 6, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref>

<!-- Area -->
| unit_pref                = Imperial
| area_total_sq_mi         = 24.08
| area_land_sq_mi          = 23.61
| area_water_sq_mi         = 0.47
| area_water_percent       = 
| area_footnotes           = <ref name="TigerWebMapServer">{{cite web|title=ArcGIS REST Services Directory|url=https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer|publisher=United States Census Bureau|accessdate=September 20, 2022}}</ref>
| area_total_km2           = 62.37
| area_land_km2            = 61.14
| area_water_km2           = 1.23

| population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
| population_footnotes     = 
| population_total         = 65211
| population_density_km2   = 1066.57
| population_density_sq_mi = 2762.36
| population_urban_footnotes = &nbsp;(Lorain–Elyria, OH)<ref name="urban area">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html|title=List of 2020 Census Urban Areas|website=census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 8, 2023}}</ref>
| population_urban                = 199,067 (US: [[List of United States urban areas|196th]])
| population_density_urban_sq_mi  = 2,196.9

| timezone                 = [[Eastern Standard Time Zone|EST]]
| utc_offset               = &minus;5
| timezone_DST             = [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
| utc_offset_DST           = &minus;4
| elevation_m              = <ref name=gnis/>
| elevation_ft             = 617
| coordinates              = {{coord|41|26|24|N|82|10|08|W|region:US-OH|display=inline,title}}
| website                  = {{URL|https://www.cityoflorain.org/}}

<!-- Area/postal code & others -->
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code|Zip code(s)]]
| postal_code              = 44052–44055
| area_code                = [[Area code 440|440]]
| blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
| blank_info               = 39-44856
| blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
| blank1_info              = 1086514<ref name=gnis>{{GNIS|1086514}}</ref>
| footnotes                = 
}}

'''Lorain''' ({{IPAc-en|l|ɔː|ˈ|r|eɪ|n}})<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ohio.edu/scripps-college/journalism/e-w-scripps-school-journalism-ohio-pronunciation-guide-1|title=Ohio Pronunciation Guide|publisher=E.W. Scripps School of Journalism|access-date=February 3, 2022}}</ref> is a city in [[Lorain County, Ohio]], United States. It is located in [[Northeast Ohio]] on [[Lake Erie]] at the mouth of the [[Black River (Ohio)|Black River]], about {{convert|25|mi}} west of [[Cleveland]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the city had a population of 65,211,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/loraincityohio,clevelandcityohio/PST045221|title=U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Lorain city, Ohio; Cleveland city, Ohio |publisher=Census.gov |date= |accessdate=July 19, 2022}}</ref> making it Ohio's [[List of municipalities in Ohio|ninth-largest city]], the third-largest in [[Greater Cleveland]], and the largest in Lorain County by population.

== History ==
{{see also|Black River Township, Lorain County, Ohio}}
[[File:PostcardLorainOHAtTheLoop1913.jpg|thumb|left|"At the Loop", Lorain, ''c.'' 1913]]
According to local government records, the city began as an unincorporated village established before 1834 as “Black River Village”, and was renamed in 1837 as "Charleston." According to 19th-century historians, the new name was rejected by its own citizens, who continued to use Black River Village. The village was incorporated as Lorain in 1874 and became a city in 1896.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Zupka |first1=James G. |title=City of Lorain – Lorain County, Ohio – Single Audit Report for the Year Ended December 31, 2018 |url=https://ohioauditor.gov/auditsearch/Reports/2019/City_Lorain_18-Lorain.pdf |website=City of Lorain |publisher=City of Lorain |access-date=May 6, 2020}}</ref> The first mayor was [[List of mayors of Lorain, Ohio|Conrad Reid]], who took office on April 6, 1874. The municipal boundaries incorporated most of the former [[Black River Township, Lorain County, Ohio|Black River Township]] judicial boundaries, and portions of the [[Sheffield Township, Lorain County, Ohio|Sheffield Township]], [[Amherst Township, Lorain County, Ohio|Amherst Township]], and [[Brownhelm Township, Ohio|Brownhelm Township]] judicial borders.

=== 1924 tornado ===
The [[1924 Lorain–Sandusky tornado]] hit the city on Saturday, June 28, 1924. The tornado formed over the [[Sandusky Bay]] during the late afternoon hours and hit [[Sandusky, Ohio|Sandusky]], where it killed eight people and destroyed 100 homes and 25 businesses.<ref name= lorain1>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QANPLARGXFMC&q=1924+lorain+tornado&pg=PA254|title=Thunder in the Heartland: A Chronicle of Outstanding Weather Events in Ohio|first1=Thomas W.|last1=Schmidlin|first2=Jeanne Appelhans|last2=Schmidlin|pages=254–258|date=August 9, 1996|publisher=Kent State University Press|via=Google Books|access-date=March 15, 2019|isbn=9780873385497}}</ref> After moving east over [[Lake Erie]] for several miles, the tornado then struck Lorain, killing 72. Among the dead were 15 people inside a collapsed theater, which makes it the worst tornado-related death toll from a single building in Ohio. Eight people were also killed inside the Bath House near the location where the tornado came onshore.<ref name=lorain1/>

==Geography==
According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has a total area of {{convert|24.14|sqmi|sqkm|2}}, of which {{convert|23.67|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is land and {{convert|0.47|sqmi|sqkm|2}} is water.<ref name="Gazetteer files">{{cite web|title=US Gazetteer files 2010|url=https://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=January 6, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120702145235/http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_places_national.txt |archive-date=July 2, 2012}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 1595
|1890= 4863
|1900= 16028
|1910= 28883
|1920= 37205
|1930= 44512
|1940= 44125
|1950= 51202
|1960= 68932
|1970= 78185
|1980= 75416
|1990= 71245
|2000= 68652
|2010= 64097
|2020= 65211
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|author=United States Census Bureau|access-date=November 20, 2013|author-link=United States Census Bureau}}</ref>
}}

As of the [[2020 United States census]], Lorain had a population of 65,211. Of which, 49.4% were non-hispanic White, 29.2% were Hispanic/Latino, 15.2% non-hispanic Black, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Native American or Pacific Islander, and 5.6% mixed or other.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Lorain%20city,%20Ohio&y=2020&d=DEC%20Redistricting%20Data%20%28PL%2094-171%29&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2 | title=Explore Census Data }}</ref>

As of the [[census]]<ref name="wwwcensusgov">{{cite web|title=U.S. Census website|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 6, 2013}}</ref> of 2010, there were 64,097 people, 25,529 households, and 16,368 families living in the city. The [[population density]] was {{convert|2707.9|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|1}}. There were 29,144 housing units at an average density of {{convert|1231.3|/sqmi|/km2|1}}. The racial makeup of the city was 67.9% [[White (U.S. Census)|White]], 17.6% [[African American (U.S. Census)|African American]], 0.5% [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]], 0.4% [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]], 8.3% from [[Race (U.S. Census)|other races]], and 5.4% from two or more races. [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]] of any race were 25.2% of the population, over 19% is made up of Puerto Ricans.<ref>[https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?q=Lorian city, ohio&y=2012&tid=ACSDP1Y2012.DP05&hidePreview=true]</ref>

There were 25,529 households, of which 33.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.1% were married couples living together, 21.0% had a female householder with no husband present, 6.1% had a male householder with no wife present, and 35.9% were non-families. 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.09.

The median age in the city was 36.8 years. 26.7% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.8% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.6% were from 25 to 44; 26% were from 45 to 64; and 13.9% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.5% male and 52.5% female.

== Economy ==
[[File:Launching of the SS Greater Detroit.jpg|thumb|Launching of the SS ''[[SS Greater Detroit|Greater Detroit]]'' in Lorain, 1923]]
Lorain has a [[Deindustrialization|deindustrialized]] economy and was home to the [[American Ship Building Company]] Lorain Yard, [[Ford Motor Company]] Lorain Assembly Plant, and [[United States Steel Corporation]]'s steel mill on the city's south side. The city faces many similar issues to other [[Rust Belt]] cities, including [[population decline]] and [[urban decay]]. Poverty in the city is above the national average at 26.2%,<ref name="Lorain poverty">{{cite web|title=Lorain city, Ohio Individuals below poverty level|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/cf/1.0/en/place/Lorain|website=United States Census Bureau American Factfinder|publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce|access-date=December 19, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> lower than Cleveland's 36%.<ref name="Cleveland poverty">{{cite web|title=Cleveland city, Ohio Individuals below poverty level|url=http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/cf/1.0/en/place/Cleveland|website=United States Census Bureau American Factfinder|publisher=U.S. Department of Commerce|access-date=December 19, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> but higher than neighboring [[Elyria, Ohio|Elyria]]'s 22.2%<ref name="Elyria poverty">{{cite web|title=American FactFinder - Community Facts|url=https://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/cf/1.0/en/place/Elyria|publisher=United States Census Bureau|website=factfinder.census.gov|language=en|access-date=December 19, 2016}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

[[CenturyTel of Ohio]] is based in Lorain.

=== Top employers ===
According to the city's 2013 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.cityoflorain.org/cms/files/File/City%20of%20Lorain%202013%20CAFR.pdf|title = Comprehensive Annual Financial Report: Year Ended December 31, 2013|publisher = City of Lorain|page = 187}}</ref> the top employers in the city are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! #
! Employer
! # of employees
|-
|1
|[[Catholic Health Partners|Mercy Health]]
|1,657
|-
|2
|[[Lorain City School District]]
|870
|-
|3
|Lorain Tubular
|796
|-
|4
|[[Republic Steel]]
|633
|-
|5
|CAMACO, Inc.
|500
|-
|6
|The City Of Lorain
|468
|-
|7
|Grace Management Services
|314
|-
|8
|Cleveland Clinic
|300
|-
|9
|The Nord Center
|228
|-
|10
|[[Walmart]]
|211
|}

==Arts and culture==
The Lorain International Festival is an annual summer festival featuring a pageant.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-17 |title=Lorain International Festival set for June 20–25 |url=https://www.morningjournal.com/2023/06/17/lorain-international-festival-set-for-june-20-25/ |access-date=2024-06-17 |website=Morning Journal |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Fire Fish Festival]] is an annual event every September 21 in downtown Lorain. To support the independent artists and celebrating Lorain’s heritage while giving hope for the future.<ref>{{Cite web |title=FireFish Arts |url=http://www.firefishfestival.com |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=FireFish Arts |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[Lorain Palace Theatre]] opened in 1928 and continues operating.<ref>[http://cinematreasures.org/theater/1042/ Lorain Palace Civic Center in Lorain, OH - Cinema Treasures<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>

The [[Lorain Historical Society]] (formerly named Black River Historical Society) has been in operation since 1981, and seeks to preserve Lorain's rich history through exhibits, programs, and research.<ref>{{Cite web |date=3 March 2025 |title=Lorain Historical Society |url=http://www.lorainhistory.org |url-status=live |access-date=28 April 2025 |website=Lorain Historical Society}}</ref>

==Parks and recreation==
There are 51 parks managed by the city [[parks and recreation]] department, a total of 583 acres.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lorain 2018 Comprehensive Plan|url=http://destinyhosted.com/loraidocs/2018/COMM/20180924_198/AGENDApacket__09-24-18_747_198.pdf|access-date=June 12, 2020}}</ref>

===Lakeview Park===
[[Lakeview Park (Lorain, Ohio)|Lakeview Park]] is bisected by West Erie Avenue, with the northern section being managed by the [[Lorain County Metro Parks]] and the southern by the city. The park was established in 1917 under Mayor Leonard M. Moore as a way of providing more publicly-accessible space on the lakefront.

The park features a beach, rose garden, various recreational facilities, bathhouse, concession stand, several gazebos and picnic shelters, and lawn bowling.

There is a sculpture shaped as an [[Easter basket]] built in 1935 with local Amherst sandstone, and dedicated on April 3, 1941, as the "floral basket". Traditionally, families in Lorain, in celebration of [[Easter]], take an annual photo at the basket.<ref>{{cite book|title=Lorain Historical Society Blanket Brochure|date=September 2016|publisher=Lorain Historical Society|location=Lorain}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Photo Friday: Easter basket awaits bunny in Lorain, Ohio|url=https://www.midwestguest.com/2011/04/photo-friday-easter-basket-awaits-bunny-in-lorain-ohio.html|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=Midwest Guest}}</ref>

The rose garden was dedicated in 1932, and has 2,500 roses in 48 beds. The shape of the garden, a wheel with eight spokes, is the [[Rotary International]] emblem in honor of the 17 community organizations that funded the garden initially, including the Lorain Rotary. The garden was restored in 2005 and roses are planted to honor and commemorate those that had ties to the community or garden itself in city history.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lakeview Park at Lorain County Metro Parks|url=http://metroparks.cc/lakeview_park.php#top|website=metroparks.cc|access-date=January 2, 2017}}</ref>

==Government==
{{see also|List of mayors of Lorain, Ohio}}
[[File:Lorain,_Ohio_City_Hall.jpg|thumb|Lorain City Hall]]
The Lorain municipal government is a [[Mayor-Council]] structure, and operates as a statutory city under the laws and regulations set by the [[Ohio Constitution]], making it one of the largest Ohio cities to operate without a charter. The City of Lorain operates on a [[ward (electoral subdivision)|ward]]-based system. Elected positions include the mayor, eleven City Council members, the Council President, Auditor, Treasurer, Law Director, Clerk of Courts, and two judges.<ref name=":0">{{cite web|title=City of Lorain Financial Information|url=https://www.cityoflorain.org/DocumentCenter/View/80/Accounting-and-Organizational-Structure-PDF|access-date=June 5, 2020|website=City of Lorain}}</ref>

The mayor functions as the chief of the executive branch, with job duties including: determining city laws, spurring economic development, planning and administering city projects, delivering city services, negotiating city contracts, and budgeting.<ref>{{cite web|title=Mission & Purpose|url=http://www.cityoflorain.org/mayor/mission|access-date=December 21, 2016|website=www.cityoflorain.org}}</ref> As of January 1, 2020, Jack Bradley is mayor.<ref>Payerchin, Richard, ''[https://www.morningjournal.com/news/lorain-county/lorain-mayor-bradley-takes-office-leads-planning-meeting/article_2339ed90-2dac-11ea-ac30-4f7e37bc8ae7.html Lorain Mayor Bradley takes office, leads planning meeting]'', [[The Morning Journal]], January 2, 2020.</ref>

The City Council consists of 11 members; eight members are elected by ward and three members are elected at-large, with one council member presiding as the President of Council. The Lorain City Council responsibilities include: determining the salary of city officials and employees, enacting ordinances and resolutions of city services, enacts tax levies, appropriating and borrowing money, licensing, regulating business, commerce, and other municipal duties. Council members serve two-year terms.<ref>{{cite web|title=City Council|url=http://www.cityoflorain.org/city_council|access-date=December 21, 2016|website=www.cityoflorain.org}}</ref> Through the City Budget, the City Council directly controls the operation of the planning, zoning, street construction, maintenance and repair, water and sewer services, municipal court services, and general administrative services.<ref name=":0" />

=== Politics ===
Politics in the city have traditionally been closely tied to the local [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]].

On the State level, Lorain is represented by State Senator [[Nathan Manning]] (R-[[North Ridgeville, Ohio|North Ridgeville]]) of Ohio Senate District 13, and by State Representative [[Joe Miller (Ohio politician)|Joe Miller]] (D-Amherst) of Ohio House District 53.

On the Federal level, all of Lorain is represented in the [[United States House of Representatives]] by Republican U.S. Representative [[Bob Latta]] of {{ushr|OH|5}}. Lorain is represented in the [[United States Senate]] by Democratic U.S. Senator [[Sherrod Brown]] and Republican U.S. Senator [[JD Vance]].

Voter turnout for the [[2016 United States presidential election|2016 presidential election]] in Lorain was 24,198 out of a registered 40,885 voters, a voter [[Voter turnout in United States presidential elections|turnout]] rate of 59.19%. Democratic candidate [[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|Hillary Clinton]] captured 15,192 votes, or 62.78%; Republican candidate [[Donald Trump 2016 presidential campaign|Donald Trump]] captured 7,584 votes, or 31.34%; Independent candidate [[Gary Johnson 2016 presidential campaign|Gary Johnson]] captured 613 votes, or 2.53%; [[Green Party of the United States|Green]] candidate [[Jill Stein 2016 presidential campaign|Jill Stein]] captured 222 votes, or 0.92%. Other candidates had marginal amounts of write-in votes; additionally, it is possible that some voters did not select a presidential candidate when casting their ballot.<ref>{{cite journal|date=November 23, 2016|title=2016 General Election, Lorain County, Ohio - Turnout Report|url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/2568d0_e51cf930d60e4c8a9f334ca88af6bd06.pdf|access-date=December 21, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=http://media.wix.com/ugd/2568d0_cfd3044357784ccc8f97cae1776a3e2a.pdf|title=Lorain County, OH General Election November 8, 2016 - Official Results|publisher=Lorain County Board of Elections|access-date=December 21, 2016}}</ref>

==Education==
[[Lorain City School District]] operates ten elementary schools, three middle schools, and [[Lorain High School]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lorainschools.org/Lorain | title=Homepage | publisher=Lorain City Schools | access-date=February 26, 2018}}</ref>

Lorain is served by the Lorain Public Library System.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.lorainpubliclibrary.org/locations-hours | title=Locations & Hours | publisher=Lorain Public Library | access-date=February 26, 2018}}</ref>

== Media ==
Lorain is the city of license for CW station [[WUAB]], channel 43, which has its studios and offices in Cleveland along with [[Shaker Heights]]-licensed [[WOIO]].

==Infrastructure==
[[File:Aerial view of Lorain, Ohio.jpg|thumb|Aerial view of Lorain and the Lorain Harbor]]

=== Transportation ===
Lorain primarily has a local street network with four state highways maintained by the [[Ohio Department of Transportation]] and one [[United States Numbered Highway System|U.S. route]]. There are no [[Interstate Highway System|interstate highways]] that pass through the city limits. Public transit is provided by [[Lorain County Transit]], which operates two fixed-route bus lines. [[Norfolk Southern Railway]] operates a freight railroad running parallel to the Lake Erie shoreline.

==== Public transit ====
Lorain County Transit operates two fixed-route bus lines in Lorain: Route 1 and Route 2. Route 1 is a 34-stop bus route connecting Meridian Plaza in downtown Lorain to the LifeSkills Center in Elyria, operating one bus in each direction every two hours. Similarly, Route 2 operates every two hours and serves 36 stops, connecting the same points as Route 1.{{citation needed|date=June 2020}}

==== Highways ====
* [[U.S. Route 6#Ohio|U.S. Route 6]] runs east–west along Erie Avenue, crossing the northern section of the City along the Lake Erie shoreline. U.S.-6 enters the city in the east from Sheffield Lake and continues west to Vermilion.
* [[Ohio State Route 2]] briefly runs east–west through city limits at the Broadway Avenue/Middle Ridge Road [[Diamond interchange]] (exit 166).
* [[Ohio State Route 57]] generally runs north–south, starting in the north at the intersection of Erie Avenue and Broadway Avenue. SR-57 runs south along Broadway until 28th Street, where the route then turns east and crosses South Lorain along the southern border of the steel mill. SR-57 turns south on Grove Avenue and continues south toward Elyria.
* [[Ohio State Route 58]] runs north–south, starting in the north at the intersection of Erie Avenue and North Leavitt Road and continuing south toward Amherst.
* [[Ohio State Route 611]] runs east–west, starting in the west at the partial interchange of Erie Avenue and West 21st Street and continuing east until Colorado Avenue, where it turns east and continues toward Sheffield Village.

==== Bridges ====
There are three bridges that cross the Black River in the Lorain Harbor; two of these bridges are for motor vehicles and pedestrians and one is for rail transport only. The two motor vehicle/pedestrian bridges are the [[Charles Berry Bridge]] and the [[Lofton Henderson Memorial Bridge]].These two bridges, formerly known as the Erie Avenue Bridge and 21st Street Bridge, respectively, opened on October 12, 1940.<ref name=":2">{{cite web|title=Charles Berry Bascule Bridge rehabilitation|url=https://www.transportation.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/odot/projects/projects/92013|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=ODOT}}</ref> At the time of opening, they were coined the "Twin Bridges."

The Charles Berry Bridge is a double-leaf {{convert|1,052|ft|m|adj=on|abbr=off|sp=us}} [[bascule bridge]]; of the total length, {{convert|333|ft|m|abbr=off|sp=us}} are the bascule span. At the time of construction, the bridge was the largest bascule bridge in the world and is now often credited as the second-largest in the world. Annually, the Charles Berry Bridge has an average of 700 openings.<ref name=":2" />

The rail bridge, historically known as the 11th Street Bridge,<ref>{{cite web|title=11th Street Bridge in Lorain, Ohio|url=http://images.ulib.csuohio.edu/cdm/singleitem/collection/urbanohio/id/484/rec/4|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=The Cleveland Memory Project}}</ref> is a single-track [[Vertical-lift bridge|vertical-lift]] [[truss bridge]] operated by the Norfolk-Southern Railway and constructed in 1974.<ref>{{cite web|title=NS - Black River Lift Bridge|url=http://bridgehunter.com/oh/lorain/black-river-lift|access-date=June 12, 2020|website=Bridgehunter.com}}</ref>

===Police===
The Lorain Police Department was established in 1853 and has 113 police officers and 34 civilian employees.<ref>{{cite web|date=January 30, 2014|title=About Our Department|url=http://www.lorainpolice.com/about/|access-date=December 21, 2016|website=Lorain Police Department}}</ref>

==Notable people==
<!--- Keep list in alphabetical order --->
<!-- Only people who already have a wikipedia article or are strongly associated with a wikipedia article are to be included. People with a strong reliable citation should be taken to the talkpage for discussion. -->
*[[Terry A. Anderson|Terry Anderson]], journalist and former Lebanese hostage
*[[Dimitra Arliss]], actress
*[[Don H. Barden|Don Barden]], [[Detroit, Michigan|Detroit]] businessman, Lorain's first black city councilman
*[[Charles J. Berry]], Corporal, recipient of the [[Medal of Honor]] during World War II
*[[Rashod Berry]], Professional Football Player
*[[Martha Chase]], geneticist, died in Lorain in 2003
*[[Michael Dirda]], [[Pulitzer Prize]]–winning book critic
*[[Stevan Dohanos]], artist
*[[Ruth Anna Fisher]], historian and teacher
*[[Ralph Flanagan]], big band leader, pianist, composer, and arranger
*[[Gerald Freedman]], theatre director, [[librettist]], and lyricist, and a college [[Dean (education)|dean]]
*[[Robert Galambos]], researcher who discovered how bats use [[Animal echolocation|echolocation]]
*[[Quincy Gillmore]], general
*[[Diane Grob Schmidt]], 2015 president of the American Chemical Society
*[[Ellen Hanley]], singer
*[[William Hanley]], author
*[[Raymont Harris]], [[National Football League|NFL]] running back
*[[Lofton R. Henderson]], US Marine Corps major, a hero of the [[Battle of Midway]]
*[[Anthony Hitchens]], college and NFL linebacker
*[[JoBea Way Holt]], planetary scientist
*[[Ross Kananga]], stuntman and actor
*[[Ernest J. King]], [[Chief of Naval Operations]] and [[Fleet admiral (United States)|Fleet Admiral]] of the [[U.S. Atlantic Fleet]] in World War II
*[[Mary Lawrence (actress)|Mary Lawrence]], film and television actress
*[[Ray Lawrence (record producer)|Ray Lawrence]], bandleader, record company executive, record producer and personal manager
*[[Samuel Little]], [[serial killer]]
*[[Marie McMillin]], aviator, world record parachutist and member of [[Women's Army Corps]]
*[[Sam McPheeters]], singer of [[Born Against]]
*[[Jason Molina]], singer-songwriter
*[[Toni Morrison]], [[Nobel Prize]] laureate author
*[[Chad Muska]], professional skateboarder
*[[Don Novello]], aka [[Father Guido Sarducci]], comedian featured on ''[[Saturday Night Live]]''
*[[Robert F. Overmyer]], colonel in the [[United States Marine Corps]], [[test pilot]] and astronaut
*[[Martha Piper]], former chancellor and president of the [[University of British Columbia]]
*[[Helen Steiner Rice]], author and poet
*[[Pam Robinson]], co-founder of the American Copy Editors Society
*[[Paige Summers]], pornographic actress & model
*[[Ward Van Orman]], three-time winner of the [[Gordon Bennett Cup in ballooning|Gordon Bennett Race]]
*[[Vince Villanucci]], NFL player
*[[Bruce Weigl]], prize-winning poet
*[[Matt Wilhelm]], Former football player and broadcaster
*[[Johnnie E. Wilson]], US Army four-star general

==In popular culture==
[[File:PostcardLorainOHBroadwayLookingNorth1908.jpg|thumb|Broadway, looking north, ''c.'' 1908]]
Lorain is the setting for Lorain-born [[Toni Morrison]]'s first novel, ''[[The Bluest Eye]]'',<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/bluesteye/facts/ |title = SparkNotes: The Bluest Eye: Key Facts}}</ref> where she writes:<blockquote>In that young and growing Ohio town whose side streets, even, were paved with concrete, which sat on the edge of a calm blue lake, which boasted an affinity with Oberlin, the underground railroad station, just thirteen miles away, this melting pot on the lip of America facing the cold but receptive Canada—What could go wrong?</blockquote>

==See also==
*[[Lorain National Bank]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Americana poster|Lorain}}
{{Wikivoyage|Lorain}}
*[https://www.cityoflorain.org/ City of Lorain]

{{Geographic location
| Center    = Lorain
| North     = [[Lake Erie]]
| Northeast = [[Sheffield Lake, Ohio|Sheffield Lake]]
| West      = [[Vermilion, Ohio|Vermilion]]
| East      = [[Sheffield, Ohio|Sheffield]]
| Southwest = [[Amherst, Ohio|Amherst]]
| Southeast = [[Elyria, Ohio|Elyria]]
}}

{{Lorain County, Ohio}}
{{Ohio}}
{{Great Lakes Megalopolis}}
{{authority control}}

[[Category:Lorain, Ohio| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Ohio]]
[[Category:Cities in Lorain County, Ohio]]
[[Category:Ohio populated places on Lake Erie]]
[[Category:Puerto Rican culture in Ohio]]
[[Category:Cleveland metropolitan area]]
[[Category:1807 establishments in Ohio]]