HISTORICAL LOOKING GLASS

Historic County Court House

Construction of the second permanent Lorain County Courthouse was completed in October 1881 on the south end of Ely Square. The designer was Elijah E. Myers, an architect responsible for a number of government buildings, including several state capitols and county courthouses, as well as church buildings and private residences.

Myers’ design for the Lorain County Courthouse originally featured a stately dome topped with a statue of Lady Justice, which was damaged by storms in March 1942. After a battle over the fate of the dome, the county commissioners voted to remove it on February 24, 1943, citing fears of structural instability. A new Lorain County Administration Building opened in 1972 and the new Justice Center opened in 2004, which meant the courtrooms in this building were no longer in use. Following an extensive rehabilitation, this courthouse reopened in 2018, now providing offices for adult probation services.

A twin of this building serves as the Grant County Courthouse in Marion, Indiana. It was completed in December 1882, designed by the same architect after their county officials visited the Elyria courthouse construction site. The Grant County Courthouse dome was also removed in the mid-twentieth century.

Dive into the past

These photos are a courtesy of the Lorain County Historical Society, Elyria, OH.

First Court House 1850s

The first permanent Lorain County Courthouse, pictured here c. 1850, sat in roughly the same location as the 1881 courthouse and was in use from 1828 to 1880.

Lorain County Courthouse with Dome c. 1900

The Lorain County Courthouse with its dome. This picture was taken from Ely square c. 1900.

Closeup of Dome c. 1930

This closeup of the dome was taken c. 1930 likely from the roof of the building that is now city hall or an adjacent structure.

Courthouse Similarities

These two postcards, the left depicting the Grant County, Indiana courthouse in Marion, Indiana and the right depicting the Lorain County, Ohio courthouse in Elyria, Ohio are both from around the turn of the century and show the almost visually identical exteriors of the two buildings.

Lorain County Court House

Grant County Indiana Courthouse

1880s News Article Marion Chronicle Report

Marion Chronicle 1-15-1880, explains that the Grant County representatives toured the Lorain County Courthouse before they made the final decision to go forward with making a similar building by the Architect Elijah E Myers.

View Article Here

Special Thanks To:

  • The Lorain County Historical Society for partnering with us and providing the powerful historical imagery that brings this story to life. Learn more about their work at lchs.org.

  • Steven Rice, whose thoughtful curation and guidance helped shape the installation’s narrative.

  • The dedicated members of the Elyria Community Partnership Board, who continue to support projects that preserve and celebrate our city’s heritage.

  • The City of Elyria Administration, whose partnership ensures our downtown continues to evolve with care and respect for its history.

  • The Historical Looking Glass Project is funded in part by the Lorain County Visitors Bureau .

This installation invites viewers to pause, reflect, and imagine Elyria through a historical lens—connecting our past to our future.

📍 Stop by the Court House site, located at the corner of Second Street and Court Street and experience the story for yourself.