Society - Lorain, Ohio

The first temporary settlement at the mouth of Black River was made in 1787, when David Zeisberger brought some converted Native Americans to settle here. He and his friends had been driven out of Gnadenhutten, south and east of Akron, and he was looking for a new settlement that would be safe. They had only been there three days when members of the Wyandot tribe told them they had to move on. They abandoned their cabins and walked on until they reached the Sandusky area.

The first permanent settlement was started in 1807, when Azariah Beebe came from Vermont to the mouth of Black River. He was an advance scout for Nathan Perry Jr. Nathan soon joined Azariah and they built a trading post on the east side of Black River. Perry traded goods with Native Americans. Since then, Lake Erie erosion has caused the exact location of the trading post to be about 100 feet out in the lake.

John Reid and his family decided to settle on the west side of Black River in 1811. He built a trading post and started a thriving business. He was soon authorized to establish a post office, and mail to the area was addressed to the Mouth of Black River. By 1835 Johns son, Conrad Reid, built a hotel at the southeast corner of Broadway and Erie Avenue. It served as the town center for years. Conrad became the first mayor of the City of Lorain in 1874; he died in 1883. The Reid House was destroyed by fire just three months later.

Conrad Reid built a new hotel, the Reid House, at the corner of Erie Avenue and Broadway. The hotel served as the center of town for years. At this time, a team of oxen often dredged the river. A ferry crossed north of the present bridge, and William Jones built little ships on North Broadway. At the time, he lived in the house that later became City Hall. Oak timbers for vessels were brought in from the forests around town.

The Lampmon House was a hotel on the northeast corner of Broadway and Erie Avenue. It was one of the earliest hotels in town and was operated by M.P. Lampmon. The hotel advertised that it provided fishing tackle, croquet, and Pic Nic grounds for the guests. By this time, the name of the town was shortened to Black River.

Trade was building from south of town as communities and farms sent their produce north to the port. The traffic was heavy enough that by 1833 a toll road was built from Broadway, east of todays business blocks, and connected with Elyria Avenue. From there it continued to Elyria and, eventually, all the way to Medina, Ohio. It helped to ensure the town of Black River as an important port on Lake Erie. The monument is located across from the Morning Journal at the triangle of Broadway, Elyria Avenue, and Seventeenth Street.

As the town continued to grow, police and fire services were required. The first fire station was built on Fourth Street, near Washington Avenue. The wooden structure had a high tower in the back where hoses were hung after use to let them dry. The first fire engines were hand pumps that two men would operate. Horses were used to draw the larger engines until the 1920s, when motorized engines were purchased.

By 1903 the town had grown so much that new engines were added and more stations were built. This picture is of Number One Hose Company and includes Joe Claus, G.A. Conn (on the seat), Gus Bobel, and Chief Essex. Note the mascot on the seat. The horse on the right is Dolly. Whenever the fire bells rang, Dolly would dash from wherever she was and place herself in the correct position, in front of the engine and ready to be harnessed. She would then dash off to the fire.

The first policeman in town was hired in 1874. By 1903 the department had many officers. Notice the mustaches worn by many of the officers, which was the style in those days. Lorain Mayor J.F. King is pictured in the center. Only the mayor is identified.

Shipbuilding became one of the earliest industries in the town. Transportation on land was difficult, and ships provided an easier means of moving supplies. There were many shipyards at different times. Some were on the west side of the river, and some were on the east. Oak was plentiful around town for shipbuilding material. Of course, the ships were sailing vessels. In the picture is the launching of the first ship built in Lorain. It was quite a celebration!

By 1898 the American Shipbuilding Co. had established a yard on the east side. That year, they built the first steel-hulled ship on the Great Lakes. In order to keep track of their employees, they formed the Time and Payroll Office. Pictured are some of the employees in 1900.

Because there was no cemetery in the town, the first burials from the town were taken south to the Amherst Cemetery. By 1828 the town dedicated its first cemetery on Sixth Street, between Hamilton Avenue and Oberlin Avenue. People were buried there until the plot was filled, and then the new Elmwood Cemetery was dedicated on North Ridge Road. The Charleston cemetery went into disrepair until 1985, when Diane Wargo investigated the plot, and located and dug up some of the gravestones. Pictured above are Diane Wargo and Mayor Alex Olejko. Below is the dedication plaque.