'Our history is worth preserving': Second Historic Looking Glass unveiled in Ely Square

ELYRIA — Visitors to Ely Square have a new lens into the past after the Elyria Community Partnership unveiled the second of its Historic Looking Glasses in the park during its Third Thursday event. The new looking glass at the northwest corner of Second Street and Court Street allows visitors to peer through it at the Historic Lorain County Courthouse and see what the courthouse looked like when it was first completed in 1881, with its original massive dome. The dome was removed in 1943 after a vote of the Lorain County commissioners due to safety concerns, but residents can now see what the building, made of Amherst sandstone, looked like in all its glory. Elyria Community Partnership unveiled its first Historic Looking Glass last summer, showcasing the old Elyria First Baptist Church on the corner opposite the courthouse. "A lot of people know us (the partnerahip) for the events that we do, but a big part and core piece of our mission is downtown development and revitalization," partnership Executive Director Mone't Roberts said. "In order to reorganize and revitalize the community, you also have to consider the past and the history that the community has. Elyria has a lot of unique history, especially with it being the county seat, and we are super excited to unveil this looking glass marker." Sponsored by the Lorain County Visitor's Bureau and the county, the looking glass was designed by Steven Rice and printed and installed by Alexis Exhibits and Schramm Signs. The Lorain County Historical Society researched the history and historic pictures of the old courthouse to make the project possible. Kerri Broome, executive director of the historical society, said that construction on the building began just 13 years after the end of the Civil War, when the U.S. had only 38 states. At the time of its completion, the building was the largest in the city. "The dome was a prominent feature of the town's skyline," Broome said. "Today, the dome is gone, but this looking glass gives us a way to see it again. Projects like this connect us with the history that we can no longer experience firsthand, and they are possible because people believe that our history is worth preserving and sharing." The Lorain County Courthouse was designed by architect Elijah Meyers, and it has a twin building, the Grant County Courthouse in Marion, Indiana. The Grant County courthouse also lost its dome during the 20th century. After the opening of the Lorain County Administration Building in 1972 and the Justice Center in 2004, the historic courthouse fell out of use until 2018, when it was repurposed to serve as offices for county adult probation services. "As we sit here today looking back, Lorain County and especially downtown Elyria have a lot to be proud of," said County Commissioner Jeff Riddell. "We've got a lot more history than a lot of folks do. The Visitor's Bureau, which is overseen by the commissioners, when people come in from outside of the county we want to make sure that those people who visit our county get an appreciation for the history that we have." Attendees of the unveiling of the looking glass stayed in the square to enjoy the music, food and activities of the final Third Thursday event of the summer. Contact Owen MacMillan at (440) 329-7123 or omacmillan@chroniclet.com.