Vermilion is a city in
ErieAs of the census of 2000, there were 79,551 people, 31,727 households, and 21,764 families residing in the county. The population density was 312 people per square mile . There were 35,909 housing units at an average density of 141 per square mile...
and
LorainLorain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio, and is considered to be a part of what is locally referred to as Greater Cleveland. As of the 2010 census, its population was 301,356. an increase from 284,664 in 2000...
counties in
OhioOhio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, on the
North CoastNorth Coast or Northcoast may refer to :Australia* North Coast , a regionCanada* "North Coast" in British Columbia means the northernmost region of the British Columbia Coast, primarily the communities of Prince Rupert, Terrace and Kitimat and surrounding areas** North Coast , an electoral district...
of the U.S.A. The population was 10,927 at the 2000 census. The current mayor is Eileen Bulan. The Lorain County portion of Vermilion is part of the
ClevelandCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
–
Elyria-Community:Elyria has an extensive, although financially burdened, community food pantry and "Hot Meals" program administered through the Second Harvest Food Bank and several churches Elyria is served by Elyria Memorial Hospital.-Recreation and parks:...
–
MentorAs of the census of 2000, there were 50,278 people, 18,797 households, and 14,229 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,878.2 people per square mile . There were 19,301 housing units at an average density of 721.0 per square mile...
Metropolitan Statistical AreaGreater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio and is part of what used to be the Connecticut Western Reserve.Northeast Ohio refers to a similar but substantially larger area as described below...
, while the Erie County portion is part of the
SanduskySandusky is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Erie County. It is located in northern Ohio and is situated on the shores of Lake Erie, almost exactly half-way between Toledo to the west and Cleveland to the east....
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The nickname of Vermilion High School sports teams is "The Sailors", and many prominent Ship Captains of the Great Lakes have lived in Vermilion. The area is noted for its many orchards, wineries, and roadside fruit and vegetable stands.
History
Vermilion was initially settled in the early 19th century and formed as a village in 1844. It was noted as a fishing and small boat harbor.The oldest permanent structure dates to 1811 (it is still a private residence). In 1847 the Congress of the United States built the
Vermilion LighthouseThe Vermilion Lighthouse is a lighthouse on the shores of Lake Erie in Vermilion, Ohio, USA. It is situated on the grounds of the Inland Seas Maritime Museum near the mouth of the Vermilion River. Erected on 23 October 1991 and dedicated on 6 June 1992, the lighthouse is illuminated by a 200 watt...
to aid navigation on
Lake ErieLake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
.
As commerce grew in larger nearby cities, the
Vermilion RiverThe Vermilion River is a river in northern Ohio in the United States. It is long and is a tributary of Lake Erie, draining an area of . The name alludes to the reddish clay that is the predominant local soil along its route...
proved inadequate to large commercial traffic but recreational boating became very popular. During the early 20th century the area became known as a resort community, featuring beaches and cottages. Although most structures were eventually converted to year-round use, many still are used as summer homes or vacation houses.
Merging with the nearby village of Vermilion-on-the-Lake in 1960, Vermilion became a city.
In 1953 the Great Lakes Historical Society opened the Inland Seas Maritime Museum in the former Wakefield Mansion. A local non-profit group, Friends of Harbourtown actively promotes tourism and the historical connection to Vermilion's roots as a maritime community, using the slogan "Harbourtown 1834".
Geography
Vermilion is located at 41°25′4"N 82°20′40"W (41.417656, -82.344351).
According to the
United States Census BureauThe United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 10.8 square miles (28.1 km²), of which, 10.8 square miles (27.9 km²) of it is land and 0.1 square miles (0.1 km²) of it (0.46%) is water.
Demographics
As of the
censusA census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 10,927 people, 4,254 households, and 3,113 families residing in the city. The
population densityPopulation density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,012.6 people per square mile (391.0/km²). There were 4,713 housing units at an average density of 436.7 per square mile (168.6/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 100% White, 0% Native American, 0% Asian, 0% from
other racesRace and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0% of the population.
There were 4,254 households out of which 32.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.8% were
married couplesMarriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.8% were non-families. 22.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 6.9% from 18 to 24, 27.5% from 25 to 44, 27.6% from 45 to 64, and 12.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $49,926, and the median income for a family was $57,311. Males had a median income of $41,269 versus $25,195 for females. The
per capita incomePer capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $23,635. About 4.1% of families and 5.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.6% of those under age 18 and 6.8% of those age 65 or over.
Living heritage
Vermilion was once known as the “Village of Lake Captains,” with many beautifully maintained captains’ homes in its historic district. The Harbour Town Historic District also features housing styles from the
VictorianThe term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
, Italianate,
Arts and craftsArts and crafts comprise a whole host of activities and hobbies that are related to making things with one's hands and skill. These can be sub-divided into handicrafts or "traditional crafts" and "the rest"...
, and Queen Anne eras. The Vermilion River endows marina facilities with more than 3,000 boat slips and ramps for easy access to the Lake, earning Vermilion the title of the "Largest Small Boat Harbour on the Great Lakes."
Lake freighterLake freighters, or Lakers, are bulk carrier vessels that ply the Great Lakes. The best known was the , the most recent and largest major vessel to be wrecked on the Lakes. These vessels are traditionally called boats, although classified as ships. In the mid-20th century, 300 lakers worked the...
s are also a regular sight on Lake Erie making their way through the Great Lakes nine months out of the year.
The Harbour Town 1837 Historic District is the center of the community where historic downtown Vermilion is located. It is the focal point for many professional offices, the city administration, the Chamber of Commerce, restaurants, shops, and marinas. Community wide revitalization efforts have been promoted since the 1970s, encouraging property owners and citizens to retain the unique charm of their businesses and homes while maintaining high standards of care and construction. The Vermilion Lagoons, located on the east side of the Vermilion River, is considered one of the first planned residential neighborhoods on the water in the country. Construction started in 1928.
Recreation
Along with sandy beaches, recreational boating, jet skis, canoeing, and sail boats adorn the Vermilion harbor, where ship building was once the major industry.
On summer nights, residents and visitors congregate on the large deck at Main Street Beach to watch boats sail back and forth in front of the Lake Erie sunset and watch the
Mystic Belle, a small paddle wheeler, offering rides on the Vermilion River. Children attend Sail Camp where they learn water safety and sailing supervised.
Vermilion is home to many world renowned sailboat racers.
Cultural attractions
The
Woollybear FestivalThe annual Woollybear Festival is held every Fall in downtown Vermilion, Ohio, on Lake Erie. The one-day, family event, which began in 1973, features a woolly bear costume contest in which children, even pets, are dressed up as various renditions of the woolly bear caterpillar.The festival,...
is a one-day gathering that draws over 150,000 visitors to Vermilion and includes the longest parade in the State of Ohio. In the majority of years, the Vermilion High School Band Festival is held the night before the Woolybear Festival. Area high schools and the Vermilion High School Alumni Band take the field to entertain community members before the next day's parade.
The
Festival of the FishThe Festival of the Fish, held each June, is a three-day fish frying event, held in Vermilion, Ohio. The festival has many attractions, such as the Queen and Princess pageant, local talent concerts, parade, and concessions. The focus, however, is on fried fish which is usually served with french...
, held each June, is a three-day event, drawing people from Vermilion and the neighboring communities to take part in the Queen and Princess pageant, local talent concerts, parade, and concessions. Historic SummerFare, which features the Antique Craft and Boat Show, brings thousands of boat enthusiasts and aficionados to the harbor to see wooden boats from another era. Historic SummerFare also sponsors Antiques in the Park, the Community Chicken BBQ and Street Dance, and many family activities at the Inland Seas Maritime Museum.
The Inland Seas Maritime Museum, located adjacent to the Main Street Beach, features nautical and maritime exhibits of the Great Lakes, and is a tremendous draw for visitors interested in freighters, underwater archaeology, maritime history, and ship building. The museum was recently renovated to include many hands-on interactive computerized exhibits and is open year round.
Concerts in the Park, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce, occur during July and August each year. The concerts are open to everyone, free of charge, and feature a variety of entertainment from swing music to barbershop quartets. The Vermilion Area Archival Society, established in 2000, collects, stores, and indexes archival materials for research from the Vermilion area and provides assistance, as well as monthly programs, regarding the history and records of the area.
Vermilion also has a wealth of art attractions. There are several art galleries in town that often display local works and hold showings of individual artists.
Vermilion features one of America's top 50 restaurants, Chez Francois, a contemporary French restaurant.
Schools
The Vermilion School System provides public school education for area children from ages K through 12th grade, with vocational and professional education opportunities at Lorain County Joint Vocational School (LCJVS) and at
EHOVE Career CenterEHOVE Career Center is a public vocational school in Milan, Ohio. EHOVE is an acronym that stands for Erie Huron Ottawa Vocational Education. While Erie, Huron and Ottawa counties are the primary covered counties in the district, the school also serves students in Lorain and Sandusky counties....
.
Lake Ridge AcademyLake Ridge Academy is an independent K-12 school in North Ridgeville, Ohio, United States, founded in 1963. The only independent school on the west side of Cleveland, Lake Ridge is one of the smallest private schools in the Cleveland area, with 366 students enrolled in the past year.The school...
, a private grade school and high school in nearby North Ridgeville, offers daily school bus service for Vermilion students. St. Mary’s parochial school serves grades 1-6.
The Lucy Idol School, located on the edge of town, offers non-residential care for handicapped children and adults. Bowling Green State University (Firelands Campus) and Lorain County Community College, both accredited schools offering four-year and advanced degrees, are located within a twenty-minute drive of Vermilion.
Vermilion High School's sports teams are termed the "Sailors".
Notable Vermilionites
- Albert D. Baumhart, member of the United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
- Don Brown
Donald "Don" Brown is one of the many Canadian voice talents operating out of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.Although he has been known to play serious roles, he is better known for playing characters that provide comic relief, which appear to be his strong suit.- Animation :*ReBoot - *Beast...
, inventor of the dropped ceilingA dropped ceiling is a secondary ceiling, hung below the main ceiling. They may also be referred to as a drop ceiling, false ceiling, or suspended ceiling, and are a staple of modern construction and architecture. The area above the dropped ceiling is called the plenum space, as it is sometimes...
- Lee C. Howley, Jr., U.S. Public Representative to the United Nations, 1994–95
- Allie LaForce
Alexandra Leigh "Allie" LaForce is a beauty queen from Vermilion, Ohio who held the Miss Teen USA 2005 title who now works as a broadcast sports reporter....
, Miss Teen USAMiss Teen USA is a beauty pageant run by the Miss Universe Organization for girls aged 14–19. The reigning titleholder is Danielle Doty of Texas....
2005 and current WJW-TV sportscaster
- Lester Allan Pelton
Lester Allan Pelton was an American inventor who contibuted significantly to the development of hydropower and hydroelectric power in the old West and world-wide. In the late 1870's he invented the Pelton water wheel, then the most efficient design of the impulse water turbine...
inventor of the Pelton wheel impulse water turbine.
- Phoebe Judson
Phoebe Goodell Judson was an American pioneer and author. Along with her husband, Holden Judson, she founded the city of Lynden, Washington....
, American pioneer.
- Thomas L. Siebert
Thomas L. Siebert, born 1946, is an American lawyer and former diplomat. Siebert was appointed United States Ambassador to Sweden in 1994 by President Bill Clinton and served in this capacity until 1997. Currently Siebert holds a position at law firm Thompson Coburn LLP in Washington D.C. He lives...
, U.S, Ambassador to Sweden
- Andy Oliver, Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
pitcherIn baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
for the Detroit TigersThe Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...
External links