Elyria, Ohio
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Elyria ( ) is a city in
Lorain County, Ohio Lorain County () is a county in the northeastern part of the U.S. state of Ohio As of the 2020 census, the population was 312,964. Its county seat is Elyria, and its largest city is Lorain. The county was physically established in 1822, beco ...
, United States, and its
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or parish (administrative division), civil parish. The term is in use in five countries: Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, and the United States. An equiva ...
. It is located at the forks of the Black River in
Northeast Ohio Northeast Ohio is a geographic and Cultural area, cultural region that comprises the northeastern counties of the U.S. state of Ohio. Definitions of the region consist of 16 to 23 counties between the southern shore of Lake Erie and the foothills ...
, southwest of
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
. The population was 52,656 at the 2020 census.2020 United States Census, Elyria Total population https://www.census.gov/search-results.html?searchType=web&cssp=SERP&q=Elyria%20city,%20Ohio It is a principal city in the Cleveland metropolitan area. Elyria is home to Lorain County Community College.


Etymology

The city's name is derived from the surname of its founder, Heman Ely, and
Illyria In classical and late antiquity, Illyria (; , ''Illyría'' or , ''Illyrís''; , ''Illyricum'') was a region in the western part of the Balkan Peninsula inhabited by numerous tribes of people collectively known as the Illyrians. The Ancient Gree ...
, the historical name used by ancient
Greeks Greeks or Hellenes (; , ) are an ethnic group and nation native to Greece, Greek Cypriots, Cyprus, Greeks in Albania, southern Albania, Greeks in Turkey#History, Anatolia, parts of Greeks in Italy, Italy and Egyptian Greeks, Egypt, and to a l ...
and Romans to refer to the western
Balkans The Balkans ( , ), corresponding partially with the Balkan Peninsula, is a geographical area in southeastern Europe with various geographical and historical definitions. The region takes its name from the Balkan Mountains that stretch throug ...
.


History

The village of Elyria was founded in 1817 by Heman Ely, who built a log house, dam, gristmill, and sawmill on the village's site along the Black River. Ely began to build more houses to accommodate European-American settlers migrating to what was, at that time, within
Huron County, Ohio Huron County ( ) is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,565. Its county seat is Norwalk. The county was created in 1809 and later organized in 1815. Huron County is included in the Norwal ...
. By the turn of the 20th century, Elyria was a town of about 8,000. In 1908, Elyria Memorial Hospital was built. In the first half of the 20th century, the town developed some manufacturing, as well as a range of retail businesses. In August 1967, Midway Mall was opened. It changed the local economy by attracting local businesses from the town center or causing so much competition they went out of business. Industrial restructuring meant that good jobs left the area, and poverty increased. Three major car plant closings in the area led to economic stagnation and joblessness in the 1970s and 1980s that affected numerous communities. The region was nicknamed "the Rustbelt", suggesting the decline of its former industries. In the 1990s, Elyria experienced a minor revival with construction of some new roads and housing. It serves as a residential, suburban "
bedroom community A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...
" for Cleveland, where new businesses and industries are developing with an increase in new jobs. In the 2000s and 2010s, companies like Bendix and 3M moved their operations elsewhere. To prepare for this, voters passed Issue 6 in March 2016. Issue 6 increased the city's income tax by 0.5%. It was used to pay for police, parks, and fiber-optic Internet in the city. With the reconstruction of State Route 57 on the city's northwest side by Midway Mall, traffic flow was improved.


Geography

Elyria is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. According to the
United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water. The Black River flows through Elyria.


Demographics


2020 census

As of the census of 2020, there were 52,656 people living in the city, for a population density of 2,562.59 people per square mile (989.42/km2). There were 24,904 housing units. The racial makeup of the city was 72.2%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 14.7%
Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...
or
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 2.4% from some other race, and 9.6% from two or more races. 8.4% of the population were
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race.


2010 census

As of the census of 2010, there were 54,533 people, 22,400 households, and 14,093 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 25,085 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 78.1%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 15.5%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% Asian, 1.2% from other races, and 4.1% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 4.9% of the population. There were 22,400 households, of which 31.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 39.5% were married couples living together, 17.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 37.1% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.39 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age in the city was 38.1 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18; 9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 25.7% were from 25 to 44; 26.8% were from 45 to 64; and 14.3% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.


2000 census

As of the census of 2000, there were 55,953 people, 22,409 households, and 14,834 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 23,841 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 81.3%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...
, 14.2%
African American African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from an ...
, 0.27% Native American, 0.61% Asian, 0.02%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, Pacificans, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe th ...
, 0.95% from other races, and 2.64% from two or more races.
Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...
or Latino of any race were 2.78% of the population. There were 22,409 households, out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.4% were married couples living together, 15.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 33.8% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.46 and the average family size was 3.01. In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.6% under the age of 18, 8.9% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.7 males. The median income for a household in the city was $38,156, and the median income for a family was $45,846. Males had a median income of $34,898 versus $24,027 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,344. About 9.5% of families and 11.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 7.5% of those age 65 or over.


Economy


Top employers

According to the city's 2021 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city were:


Parks and recreation

Elyria has a large number of parks and recreational centers that include a variety of activities such as baseball and playground equipment. The four recreational centers are named after their locations: North, East, South, and West. They each include one or more
baseball field A baseball field, also called a ball field or baseball diamond, is the field upon which the game of baseball is played. The term can also be used as a metonym for a baseball park. The term sandlot is sometimes used, although this usually refer ...
s and at least two tennis courts. There are two main parks, Cascade and Elywood, which are connected by an elevated pedestrian bridge in the center.


Cascade Park

Cascade Park is the largest and most popular park in Elyria. The park is located in a ravine carved by the same
glacier A glacier (; or ) is a persistent body of dense ice, a form of rock, that is constantly moving downhill under its own weight. A glacier forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. It acquires ...
s that created the
Great Lakes The Great Lakes, also called the Great Lakes of North America, are a series of large interconnected freshwater lakes spanning the Canada–United States border. The five lakes are Lake Superior, Superior, Lake Michigan, Michigan, Lake Huron, H ...
. Cascade park has a large playground and a large hill that was previously used for seating at the 4th of July fireworks show, and was a popular spot for
sledding Sledding, sledging or sleighing is a winter sport typically carried out in a prone or seated position on a vehicle generically known as a sled (North American), a sledge (British), or a sleigh. It is the basis of three Olympic sports: luge, Skel ...
during winter months. The park is centered along the Black River. The park used to have three captive black bears, held in cages attached to a rock. Bears were featured in the park from 1920 to 1980.


Infrastructure


Transportation

Lorain County Transit is based in Elyria. Elyria is served by many highways, including U.S. Route 20, the Ohio Turnpike,
I-90 Interstate 90 (I-90) is an east–west transcontinental freeway and the longest Interstate Highway in the United States at . It begins in Seattle, Washington, and travels through the Pacific Northwest, Mountain states, Mountain West, Great Pla ...
, and State Routes 2,
113 113 may refer to: *113 (number), a natural number *AD 113, a year *113 BC, a year *113 (band), a French hip hop group *113 (MBTA bus), Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority bus route *113 (New Jersey bus), Ironbound Garage in Newark and run to ...
, 301 and 57. The general airport for Elyria and Lorain is the Lorain County Regional Airport (located in New Russia Township), and Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is the nearest major airport. The Elyria Amtrak Station provides train transportation. Greyhound bus service is also available in the city.


Healthcare

Elyria is served by University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center.


Education

Elyria's schools including Elyria High School. The Elyria City School District consisted at one time two high schools, five junior high schools, nine elementary schools, and one kindergarten school. Elyria is also home to Elyria Catholic High School. In 2010, Elyria High School was torn down for plans to build a new one. The building was fully completed during the 2012–2013 school year. Elyria is also home to the Open Door Christian School.


Notable people

*
Sherwood Anderson Sherwood Anderson (September 13, 1876 – March 8, 1941) was an American novelist and short story writer, known for subjective and self-revealing works. Self-educated, he rose to become a successful copywriter and business owner in Cleveland and ...
, writer, lived here as business owner in early 1900s * Wayne Barlow, composer (1912–1996) * Alonzo Barnard (1817–1905), Presbyterian missionary and abolitionist * T. D. Bancroft, temperance movement activist and academic * Tianna Bartoletta, track and field athlete * Walter Boron (b. 1949), physiologist * Dwight Boyer, maritime reporter and historical journalist *
Keefe Brasselle Keefe Brasselle (February 7, 1923 – July 7, 1981) was an American film actor, television actor/producer, and author. He is best remembered for the starring role in '' The Eddie Cantor Story'' (1953). Early years and career He was born Henr ...
, actor, title role of 1953 movie ''The Eddie Cantor Story'' * Joseph M. Bryan, insurance executive and philanthropist * Tony Curcillo, First Ohio State University quarterback under Woody Hayes * Susan Topliff Davis, non-profit executive * Thelma Drake, politician *
Arthur Lovett Garford Arthur Lovett Garford (August 4, 1858 – January 23, 1933) was a noted industrialist, inventor, and politician. Today, Garford's home serves as the Hickories Museum and home of the Lorain County Historical Society. Biography Garford was born o ...
, padded bicycle seat inventor and automobile manufacturer * Nahum Ball Gates, Colonel and city mayor *
Doug Gillard Douglas Scott Gillard (born December 23, 1965) is an American guitarist and songwriter. He has been a member of major indie pop and punk bands, most notably Guided by Voices, Nada Surf, Bambi Kino, Death of Samantha, and Cobra Verde. Early ...
, musician and songwriter, lead guitarist for
Guided by Voices Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band formed in 1983 in Dayton, Ohio. It has made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard. The most well-known lineup of the band consisted o ...
* Vic Janowicz, former baseball and football player, 1950
Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy ( ; also known simply as the Heisman) is awarded annually since 1935 to the top player in college football. It is considered the most prestigious award in the sport and is presented by the Heisman Trophy Trust followin ...
winner * Herbert Fisk Johnson Sr., CEO of S. C. Johnson & Son * Samuel Curtis Johnson Sr., founder of S. C. Johnson & Son * Anodea Judith, author, therapist, public speaker and expert on
Chakra A chakra (; ; ) is one of the various focal points used in a variety of ancient meditation practices, collectively denominated as Tantra, part of the inner traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. The concept of the chakra arose in Hinduism. B ...
system * James Kirkwood Jr., playwright, author and actor, lived here during childhood * Eric Lauer, baseball player *
Lila Lee Lila Lee (born Augusta Wilhelmena Fredericka Appel; July 25, 1905 – November 13, 1973) was a prominent screen actress, primarily a leading lady, of the silent film and early sound film eras. Early life The daughter of Augusta Fredericka App ...
(1905–1973), actress from silent era; buried in Brookdale Cemetery in Elyria * Robert Edwin Lee, playwright and lyricist * Brianne McLaughlin, attended Elyria Catholic High School, ice hockey goaltender * Maynard Mayo Metcalf, biologist (1868-1940) * Les Miles, former LSU Tigers head football coach * Haruki Nakamura, professional football player * Danny Noble, professional football player for
Tampa Bay Buccaneers The Tampa Bay Buccaneers (colloquially known as the Bucs) are a professional American football team based in Tampa, Florida. The Buccaneers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) NFC S ...
*
Dav Pilkey David Murray "Dav" Pilkey Jr. (; born March 4, 1966) is an American comic book writer of children's fiction. He is best known as the author and illustrator of the children's book series ''Captain Underpants'' and its spin-off children's graphic ...
, author of children's books *
Tim Rattay Timothy F. Rattay (; born March 15, 1977) is an American American football, football coach and former player who is an offensive analyst for the LSU Tigers football, LSU Tigers. Prior to becoming a coach, Rattay played as a quarterback in the Na ...
, professional football player *
Clayton Rawson Clayton Rawson (August 15, 1906 – March 1, 1971) was an American mystery writer, editor, and amateur magician. His four novels frequently invoke his great knowledge of stage magic and feature as their fictional detective The Great Merlini, a ...
, mystery writer, editor, and amateur magician * Charles Roser, real estate developer, businessman and philanthropist * Gary R. Stevenson, sports media executive *
Chad Szeliga Chad Szeliga (born December 23, 1976) is an American drummer from Elyria, Ohio. Formerly the drummer of rock band Breaking Benjamin, he joined Black Label Society in 2013, replacing Mike Froedge. In 2017, Szeliga replaced Jimmy DeGrasso in ...
, drummer for
Breaking Benjamin Breaking Benjamin is an American Rock music, rock band from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, formed in 1999 by lead singer and guitarist Benjamin Burnley and drummer Jeremy Hummel. The first lineup of the band also included guitarist Aaron Fink an ...
*
Textbeak ''Michael Szewczyk'' (born 1973), known as DJ Textbeak, is an American DJ, artist and record producer. DJ Textbeak is known internationally for his varied style of dark and experimental music including remixes for ∆AIMON, Cyanotic (band), Cyano ...
, DJ and record producer * Steve Tovar, professional football player * Charles Vinci Jr., weightlifter, Olympic champion in 1956 *
Mark Winger Mark Alan Winger (born November 26, 1962) is a former nuclear engineer from Springfield, Illinois. He was convicted in 2002 of the 1995 murders of his wife, Donnah Winger (born 1963), and Roger Harrington (born 1967). Early life, education, ...
, convicted murderer *
Norma Jean Wright Norma Jean Wright (born July 15, 1950) is an American singer and was the lead vocalist of the American group Chic, a soul, R&B and disco band, from 1977 to 1978. Early life Norma Jean Wright was born in Ripley, Tennessee. At young age, she relo ...
, former lead singer for band
Chic Chic (; ), meaning "stylish" or "smart", is an element of fashion. It was originally a French word. Etymology '' Chic'' is a French word, established in English since at least the 1870s. Early references in English dictionaries classified ...
* Victoria Wells Wulsin, doctor and international epidemiologist


References


External links

*
Elyria Municipal Court website


Travel

* {{authority control Cities in Ohio Cities in Lorain County, Ohio County seats in Ohio Populated places established in 1817 Cleveland metropolitan area 1817 establishments in Ohio Western Reserve, Ohio