Each month, we feature an Ohio Legacy City on our #GOPCThread Series, #OHCommunitySpotlight. This month travel head North to the banks of the Black River and visit the Elyria, Ohio.

Welcome back to another edition in GOPC’s #OHCommunitySpotlight series, today we will take a look at @CityofElyria #GOPCThread

#Elyria boasted a population of 53,844 in 2020 and is part of the larger Cleveland-Elyria Metropolitan Statistical Area which had a population of 2,053,137 in the same year. Elyria has 22 different neighborhoods and is located six miles from Lake Erie and 20 miles from Cleveland.

Before European contact, people affiliated with the Erie, Wyandot, and Kaskaskia nations utilized the land which would become known as Elyria.

Heman Ely founded the village in 1817 and soon found himself building additional housing to accommodate settlers in their migration to the Northwest Territory. #GOPCThread

As Elyria and other surrounding areas continued to grow, Lorain County was established in 1822 with Elyria serving as the county seat. Ely would be the one to ultimately decide on the name of the county, basing it on the French province of Lorraine. #GOPCThread

We are also reminded of Ely’s legacy through another name in the area: Elyria itself is named after its founder. The name is also derived from Illyria, a word used by ancient Greeks and Romans for the western Balkans. #GOPCThread

Early settlers chose the location of Elyria based on its proximity to the Black River. This picturesque river contains two beautiful waterfalls both around 30 feet in height, known as East Falls and Western Falls. #GOPCThread

This river is believed to be the "Canesadooharie" river by some historians, a site referred to in James Smith's writings on his time spent living with Indigenous Americans from 1755 to 1759, some also believe that these writings instead refer to the Huron River. #GOPCThread

The two large waterfalls that are a part of this river are located in Cascade Park, which contains 145-acres of space and is the area's largest and most popular park. #cascadepark #GOPCThread

Elyria is home to a diverse set of employers that drive its economy. Worldwide headquarters include @InvacareCorp, @RIDGIDtoday, @diamondproducts, @Bendix_CVS, and @EMCPrecision and the city contains 11 of the 25 top employers in its county. #GOPCThread

We can also thank Elyria for a number of important inventions. Cyclists are able to ride comfortably on their bikes thanks to the invention of the modern day bicycle seat. The clothing industry was also impacted by the creation of the sewing machine and rubber heel. #GOPCThread

In 1907, two streetcars collided with one another and 9 riders lost their lives due to a lack of a local hospital. Edgar Allen, the father of one of these victims, would go on to fund Elyria's first hospital and eventually The National Society for Crippled Children. #GOPCThread

The National Society for Crippled Children opened in 1919 as the first US medical facility to work exclusively with disabled children. Today, it is known as @eastersealshq and has blossomed into the largest nonprofit health care organization in the country. #GOPCThread

Elyria is now working towards building safer and more #ActiveTransportation for its residents. The Elyria Active Transportation Plan was released in June 2021 and details plans for improved bicycle facilities, neighborhood greenways, school crossing signage, and others.

Elyria has numerous firsts in education, including the first community college in Ohio with a permanent campus. @lorainccc opened in 1963 and continues to provide a quality, affordable education to residents through a variety of programs. #GOPCThread

Elyria also holds another first in education: Elyria High School is the first chartered high school to have opened west of the Allegheny Mountains. The school was founded in 1830 and was reconstructed in 2011. #GOPCThread

Elyria has big things planned for its future. $590,000 in #BrownfieldRemediation Funds and a $2.15 million tax credit will be used to repurpose the historic Dixon and Robinson buildings into esports center, dining, and office space. The project is expected to create 154 jobs.

Plans are also in store to revitalize the Midway Mall. The mall has hosted a variety of department stores and small shops since 1966. Past its glory days, The Lorain County Port Authority now plans to repurpose the site, agreeing to a $13.9 million loan to purchase the property.

Downtown Elyria is home to many local businesses and activities that keep residents entertained all year. At its center is Ely Square, a local meeting site since the city was first founded that also hosts festivals, events, and concerts for attendees to enjoy. #GOPCThread

The recently formed Elyria Community Partnership is a new community development organization that will be guiding redevelopment in downtown and its neighborhoods. @mospeaks2 is their new Executive Director!

Efforts to update Elyria's zoning code and capitalize on recent economic development efforts are being implemented into the "Our Elyria" Comprehensive Plan. Residents can share their thoughts through an online survey

Elyria is a place with a rich past and a promising future that we are all eagerly awaiting to see unfold. If you haven't got the chance to visit, you are missing out! Stay tuned for our next installment of Community Spotlight and thank you for reading! #GOPCThread