Celebrate at our Annual Membership Meeting

Make plans to attend the Lorain County Historical Society's annual membership meeting on Thursday, May 23 at St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in downtown Elyria. Join us for dinner in this inspiring sacred space as we reflect on LCHS’s recent accomplishments and learn about future plans. The evening will include a celebration of the history of St. Andrew’s, an Elyria landmark, and the work of the Lorain County Sacred Landmarks Initiative. A social hour will take place from 5:00 to 6:00 PM, with the program beginning at 6:00 PM. Tickets are $35 per person for members and $40 per person for non-members. LCHS members will receive Invitations with RSVP info in the mail soon. You can also reserve your spot online or by contacting the LCHS office at lchs@lchs.org or 440-322-3341.

You Can’t Play Ball in a Skirt!

Come to the Lorain County History Center on April 11 at 7:00 PM to hear the story of Ohio native Alta Weiss. Weiss’ talent for pitching landed her a spot on the Vermilion Independents, a semipro men’s baseball team, in the early 1900s. She was able to put herself through medical school playing baseball! This presentation, by Bette Lou Higgins of Eden Valley Enterprises, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served. The History Center is located at 284 Washington Avenue, Elyria.

Job Opportunity at LCHS

The Lorain County Historical Society seeks an Education and Tour Coordinator to engage diverse audiences in the inspirational history of Lorain County through the use of LCHS’s collections and its two museums, The Hickories and the Lorain County History Center, located in Elyria. The Education and Tour Coordinator is a full-time employee who will work both independently and in cooperation with staff and volunteers. The successful candidate must be energetic, personable, courteous, and professional in serving the community. Click here to see the full job description.

History Writing Workshop Series

The last session of our History Writing Workshop Series with local author Kelly Boyer Sagert will be held on Monday, April 22. The workshop takes place from 6:00 - 7:00 PM at Roxy's Emporium , 604 Middle Ave, Elyria. The workshop is free, but you must register in advance. Contact LCHS at 440-322-3341 or lchs@lchs.org for more information or to sign up. If you were not able to attend but would like to learn more, click here for a PDF document of information provided to participants of the March workshop.

Lifelong Learning Through LCCC

Lorain County Community College is offering a number of courses this spring and summer through the Center for Lifelong Learning that may appeal to history fans. Class offerings include “Art Deco: The Glamour of the Roaring ’20s”, “Antique and Vintage Jewelry”, the “Lifelong Learning Trivia Game”, “Ohio’s 7 ½ Presidents”, and “Ethnic Church of Lorain, Ohio”. These are non-credit classes with low fees. Registration is encouraged at least one week before the class, although you can often register up until the class date. For more information, call the Center for Lifelong Learning at 800-995-5222, extension 4148 or stop by the Spitzer Conference Center at LCCC, Room 109.

Consider Supporting the Ohio History Fund

The Ohio History Connection’s History Fund grant program is one of the few grant programs in the state just for history, pre-history, and historic preservation projects – and it needs your help to grow. If you receive a refund on your Ohio income taxes, consider donating a portion of it to the “Ohio History Fund” tax “check-off,” line 26c on your state tax return. Your donations make possible grants for local history projects in places big and small throughout Ohio (like the recent grants to the Southern Lorain County Historical Society and the Oberlin Heritage Center!). Your tax-deductible donation in any form will strengthen local history throughout Ohio! Click here to learn more.

Aprons on Display in April

Herrick Memorial Library in Wellington has created an exhibit of antique aprons during the month of April. The aprons, owned by local author Randi McWilliams, are on display throughout the library. Each apron includes a memory or story from McWilliams. The library is open Monday through Thursday 10:00 AM – 8:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM, and Sundays 1:00 – 5:00 PM and is located at 101 Willard Memorial Square in Wellington.

Spring Means Sales!

The Lorain Historical Society invites all to its Indoor Yard Sale fundraiser on Friday, April 5 and Saturday, April 6 at Black River Landing Transportation Center. The sale hours on Friday are 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM. The Transportation Center is located at 421 Black River Lane, Lorain. The Amherst Historical Society invites all to the first sale of the year in the Long Barn. The sale will take place on Friday, April 12 and Saturday, April 13, from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM each day. The Long Barn is located in the Amherst Sandstone Village, 763 Milan Avenue in Amherst. The Brownhelm Historical Association invites all to come on out and see the treasures available at the 5th annual Grandma's Attic Sale on April 26 and 27. The sale is both Friday and Saturday from 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at the Historic Brownhelm School & Museum, 1940 N. Ridge Road, Vermilion.

Spirit of ’76 Museum Opening Weekend

Beginning Saturday, April 6, Southern Lorain County Historical Society’s Spirit of ’76 Museum will begin its summer weekend hours. The museum will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1:00 – 3:30 PM. Enjoy a weekend of history with local authors on April 6 and 7 at the museum. On Saturday, April 6, Al Leiby will be on hand to sign his newest book, Memory Lane, Volume III . On Sunday, April 7, Don Hilton, author of Murders, Mysteries and History of Lorain County, Ohio, 1824 – 1956 , and Nicole Hayes, author of Fully Equal to the Situation , will be at the museum. Image by Visit Lorain County.

Lorain County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society

The public is invited to attend the next meeting of the Lorain County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society, to be held on April 8. This group meets at the North Ridgeville Library, 35700 Bainbridge Road, North Ridgeville. The meeting will start at 7:00 PM following a 6:30 social time. The meeting focus is “Until Death Do Us Part: An Examination of the Marriage and Divorce Laws of the 1800’s” presented by Tom Neel. Tom will discuss the laws that governed both marriage and divorce, the records that are generated by both, and the locations where records can be found. For more information, contact Norm at 440-856-5170.

Columbia Historical Society April Meeting

The Columbia Historical Society will hold its next meeting on Tuesday, April 9 at 7:00 PM. The meeting will take place in the Columbia Town Hall, 25496 Royalton Road. Planning for the Bronson House and Blockhouse program will take place. The program will begin at 7:30 PM and focus on the legacy of the Dent family. This meeting is free and open to the public.

Lake Shore Railway Annual Meeting

Save the date for the annual meeting of the Lake Shore Railway Association, to be held on Sunday, April 14. The meeting will take place at the Wellington Station, 46485 State Route 18 in Wellington and begin at 1:00 PM. Consider supporting this group, which was formed in 1979 to promote the educational and historical aspects of Lorain County by preserving and restoring the former Lorain & West Virginia rail line. Click here for more information.

Elyria Historical Association Meeting

The April meeting of the Elyria Historical Association will be held Wednesday, April 24, at the Lorain County History Center, 284 Washington Avenue, Elyria. The meeting will begin at 7:00 PM and be followed by the program “The Story of Civil War Colonel Archa Fisk," given by Jim Jablonski. Colonel Fisk lived in Elyria and attended Elyria Public Schools until the age of 17, when he enlisted in the Civil War. He participated in the battles of Antietam and Vicksburg, but it was while he was commissioner for the exchange of prisoners that he distinguished himself.

Oberlin Genealogy Database Workshop

While most family trees focus on particular families, the Oberlin Heritage Center has a database that is more like a genealogical forest, with information on more than 57,000 individuals. This database was recently transferred to Family Tree Maker software and a copy has been shared with the Oberlin Public Library for access. If you have ancestors who lived in Oberlin or are researching Oberlin history, this file might help you. OHC is offering a free training workshop to help you learn the basics. The same workshop is being offered twice, on Thursday, April 18 at 3:00 PM and Saturday, April 27 at 3:00 PM. The workshops will be held in the Oberlin Public Library’s Community Room. Registration is online. Click here for more information.

Brunch for the Beacon

The Lorain Lighthouse Foundation, Inc. presents its annual Brunch for the Beacon fundraiser on Sunday, April 28 from 11:00 AM – 2:00 PM at Jackalope Lakeside Restaurant, 301 Lakeside Ave in Lorain. A $20 per person ticket includes a meal of eggs, hash browns, sausage, bacon, French toast, a hot pasta dish, danishes, and beverage. Call Frank at 440-960-2301 for more information.

OGS Annual Conference

Registration is open for the annual conference of the Ohio Genealogical Society. The conference takes place Wednesday, May 1 through Saturday, May 4, 2019 at the Great Wolf Lodge Convention Center in Mason, Ohio. Click here for more information.

Please remember Lorain County Historical Society in your will or trust.

Inspired by Lorain County’s past to shape the future!

The Lorain County Historical Society collects, preserves, interprets, and presents the history of Lorain County.