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Lorain is a city of about 65,000 people on the shore of Lake Erie at the mouth of the Black River, about 30 miles west of Cleveland. It grew around shipbuilding and a large steel mill that drew workers from dozens of countries, earning it the nickname the International City. It is also the birthplace of Nobel Prize-winning author Toni Morrison.
The city's symbol is the Lorain Harbor Lighthouse, built in 1917 and known as the Jewel of the Port, which stands at the end of a breakwall at the river mouth. Lakeview Park has a sandy beach, a well-known rose garden and a giant Easter basket, while the Charles Berry Bridge, a large bascule drawbridge, carries traffic over the Black River.
Downtown Lorain has the restored Lorain Palace Theater and Black River Landing, a riverfront venue for summer concerts and festivals, including the Lorain International Festival. Nearby trips include Vermilion's harbor, the Lake Erie islands and Cleveland's museums and lakefront.
A 1917 lighthouse at the end of a breakwall at the mouth of the Black River, saved from demolition by local residents and now restored. In summer, the Port of Lorain runs boat tours out to the lighthouse, and some include climbs to the top. Book ahead; tours depend on lake conditions.
A giant concrete Easter basket with oversized eggs that has been a quirky Lorain landmark in Lakeview Park since the 1940s. Families take photos with it, especially around Easter, when it is decorated. It is a quick, free stop near the beach and the rose garden.
A large bascule drawbridge opened in 1940 that carries Route 6 over the Black River near its mouth, once among the longest of its kind in the world. Watching it lift for a passing lake freighter is a memorable sight. View it from Black River Landing or the riverbank downtown.
A lakefront park with a sandy Lake Erie beach, picnic areas, a bathhouse, a playground and lawn bowling greens. It is also home to a giant Easter basket and a well-known rose garden. Lifeguards are on duty in summer; check water quality reports before swimming after storms.
A formal rose garden in Lakeview Park, created in the 1930s, with thousands of rose bushes in dozens of varieties arranged around a central fountain. Blooms peak in June and continue into fall. It is free and makes a lovely stop before or after the beach; bring a camera.
A restored 1928 movie palace on Broadway in downtown Lorain, with an ornate auditorium that hosts concerts, classic movies, comedy and community events. It is a great example of early cinema architecture. Check the schedule for shows and occasional public tours.
A riverfront park and event venue near the mouth of the Black River downtown, hosting summer concerts, festivals and community events, with views of the lighthouse and the Charles Berry Bridge. It is also a launch area for boat tours. Bring lawn chairs for concerts and check the event calendar.
A long-running summer festival celebrating the many ethnic communities of the International City, with traditional food, music, dancing and a princess pageant representing dozens of nationalities. It usually takes place in late June. Come hungry and sample dishes from many cultures.
A Lorain County Metro Parks reservation along the Black River between Lorain and Elyria, with wooded trails, a paved bike path that crosses the river on high bridges, picnic areas and the Steel Mill Trail. Look for herons and bald eagles. It is free and open daily from dawn to dusk.
A dedicated reading room at the Lorain Public Library's main branch honoring Lorain-born Nobel laureate Toni Morrison, with her books, photographs and displays about her life and connection to the city. Visitors can sit and read her novels. Free during library hours; ask staff for local Morrison sites.
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Log in to add photosPhoto: WeaponizingArchitecture, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: WeaponizingArchitecture, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Rona Proudfoot from Lorain, Ohio, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Tim Kiser (w:User:Malepheasant), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Ophelia.forest, Wikimedia Commons, CC0
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Nyttend, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Bennett-ne, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Rona Proudfoot from Lorain, Ohio, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Rona Proudfoot from Lorain, Ohio, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Rona Proudfoot from Lorain, Ohio, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Pub. by The Lorian Novelty Co., Lorain, Ohio. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: ronnie44052, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Pub. by The Lorian Novelty Co., Lorain, Ohio. "Tichnor Quality Views," Reg. U. S, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
