Elyria, Ohio facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Elyria, Ohio
City
Downtown Elyria Broad Street Old County Courthouse Ely Park Administration Building
Elyria, Ohio Location in Ohio Show map of Ohio Elyria, Ohio Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Country	United States
State	Ohio
County	Lorain
Founded	March 1817
Government
• Type	Mayor – Council
Area
• Total	20.81 sq mi (53.89 km2)
• Land	20.55 sq mi (53.22 km2)
• Water	0.26 sq mi (0.67 km2)
Elevation	709 ft (216 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	52,656
• Estimate  (2023)	53,117
• Density	2,562.59/sq mi (989.42/km2)
Time zone	UTC−5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC−4 (EDT)
ZIP codes	44035, 44036, 44039, 44074
Area code(s)	440
FIPS code	39-25256
GNIS feature ID	1086508
Website	https://www.cityofelyria.org/

Elyria is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. It is the county seat, which means it's where the main government offices for the county are located. The city is found where two branches of the Black River meet in Northeast Ohio. It is about 23 miles southwest of Cleveland.

In 2020, about 52,656 people lived in Elyria. It is an important city in the larger Cleveland metropolitan area. Elyria is also home to Lorain County Community College, a place where students can go to college.

What's in a Name?

The name Elyria comes from two parts. The first part is from Heman Ely, who founded the city. The second part comes from Illyria. This was an old name used by the ancient Greeks and Romans. It referred to a region in the western Balkans.

A Look Back: Elyria's History

Broad Street in Elyria, around 1915

Elyria was started in 1817 by Heman Ely. He built the first log house, a dam, and mills for grinding grain and cutting wood. These were all built along the Black River. Ely also built more homes for new settlers coming to the area. At that time, this area was part of Huron County, Ohio.

By the early 1900s, Elyria had grown into a town of about 8,000 people. In 1908, Elyria Memorial Hospital was built. During the first half of the 20th century, the town became known for its factories and many different shops.

In 1967, a large shopping center called Midway Mall opened. This changed how businesses worked in Elyria. Many local shops moved to the mall or closed because they couldn't compete. Around the same time, many factory jobs left the area. This caused economic problems and job losses, especially in the 1970s and 1980s. This period was sometimes called "the Rustbelt" because old industries were declining.

In the 1990s, Elyria started to improve a bit. New roads and houses were built. The city became a "bedroom community" for Cleveland. This means many people live in Elyria but work in Cleveland, where new businesses and jobs were growing.

More recently, some companies like Bendix and 3M moved their operations. To help the city, voters approved a small increase in the city's income tax in 2016. This money was used to support police, parks, and improve fiber-optic Internet in the city. Also, a major road, State Route 57, was rebuilt. This helped traffic flow better, especially near Midway Mall.

Where is Elyria?

Elyria is part of the Cleveland metropolitan area. The city covers about 20.84 square miles (53.89 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water. The Black River flows right through Elyria.

People of Elyria

According to the 2020 census, there were 52,656 people living in Elyria. The city has a mix of different backgrounds. About 72.2% of the people were White, and 14.7% were Black or African American. About 8.4% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

In 2010, there were 54,533 people and 22,400 households in the city. About 31.6% of households had children under 18. The average age in Elyria was 38.1 years old.

Elyria's Economy

Elyria has several important employers that provide many jobs for its residents.

Top Employers in Elyria

Here are some of the largest employers in the city, based on a 2021 report:

Parks and Fun Places

East Falls on the Black River in Cascade Park

Elyria has many parks and recreation centers. These places offer fun activities like baseball and playgrounds. There are four main recreation centers: North, East, South, and West. Each one has baseball fields and tennis courts.

The city also has two main parks, Cascade Park and Elywood Park. These parks are connected by a special bridge for people to walk across.

Cascade Park

Cascade Park is the biggest and most popular park in Elyria. It is located in a valley formed by the same glaciers that created the Great Lakes. The park has a large playground and a big hill. This hill was once used for watching 4th of July fireworks. It was also a popular spot for sledding in the winter. The Black River flows through the middle of the park.

From 1920 to 1980, the park was home to three black bears.

Getting Around and Staying Healthy

Transportation

Lorain County Transit helps people get around Elyria. Many major roads serve the city. These include U.S. Route 20, the Ohio Turnpike, I-90, and State Routes 2, 113, 301, and 57.

For air travel, the Lorain County Regional Airport is nearby. The closest large airport is Cleveland Hopkins International Airport. If you want to travel by train, the Elyria Amtrak Station is available. You can also find Greyhound bus service in the city.

Healthcare

Elyria has a hospital called University Hospitals Elyria Medical Center. It provides healthcare services to the community.

Learning in Elyria

Elyria High School

Elyria has several schools, including Elyria High School. The Elyria City School District once had two high schools, five junior high schools, nine elementary schools, and one kindergarten school. Elyria is also home to Elyria Catholic High School. A new Elyria High School building was completed in the 2012–2013 school year. The Open Door Christian School is also located in Elyria.

Famous People from Elyria

See also

In Spanish: Elyria (Ohio) para niños