Lorain County is named for the Province of Lorraine in France and was named by Heman Ely, the founder of Elyria, after the area he visited.
Created: December 26, 1822
County Seat:
Elyria 1822 – present
County Courthouse – Elyria
Location: 302 2nd Street / Middle Avenue
Built: 1879 – 1881
Style: Renaissance
Architect: Elijah E Myers of Philadephia
Contractor: W D Richardson of Springfield, Illinois
Description: The building faces north and is a three story Amherst Sandstone structure. The north front has three arches on the first story with recessed entrance. Four columns rise from the second story to the top of the third story with pediment above at the flat roof line.
Note: In 1943, the dome was removed from the building. The architect was Walker & Weeks.
See: The architect, Elijah E Myers of Philadelphia, also designed the now demolished courthouse in Seneca County, Ohio and in Illinois in Knox County and McDonough County and in Indiana in Grant County..
County Justice Center – Elyria
Location: 225 Court Street / 3rd Street
Built: 2003 – 2005
Style: Modern
Architect: Collins Gordon Bostwick and Hellmuth, Obata & Kassabaum Inc. & Finkel, Knilans, Matakovich
Contractor: R P Carbone Company
Description: The building faces east and is a seven story buff brick and glass structure. The building faces east and was completed in 2005. The east front has a large glass walled entrance section.
County Administration – Elyria
Location: 226 Middle Avenue / 3rd Street
Built: Unknown
Style: Modern
Architect: Unknown
Contractor: Unknown
Description: The building faces west and is a four story steel, concrete and glass structure.
Courthouses:
N – Lake Erie and Ontario, Canada
E – Cuyahoga County and Medina County
S – Medina County and Ashland County
W – Huron County and Erie County
Photos taken 2010