Cracked BuckeyeCracked Buckeye

Oberlin

City · Lorain County · 8,609 residents · 2.5% municipal income tax

Open on the map
Lorain County

Local events in Oberlin

15 events in the next 90 days from 2 public calendars. All local events in Oberlin

  1. Winter Sports Picture Day

    3:30 to 6 p.m. · Oberlin Senior High School · From Oberlin City Schools

  2. Winter Cheer Tryouts

    6 to 8 p.m. · Oberlin Senior High School · From Oberlin City Schools

  3. Thanksgiving Day

    Midnight to midnight · From City of Oberlin

Checked October 20; the events page is refreshed daily.

Deep dives about Oberlin

Long reads built from maps, newspapers and public records. All deep dives

Notable people from Oberlin

Ohioans tied to this place, each with a sourced profile. All notable Ohioans

History from Oberlin

People and inventions tied to this place, each with its sources. All people · All inventions

How Oberlin began

Oberlin was founded in 1833 by Presbyterian ministers John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart, who met in nearby Elyria the previous summer and set out to build a religious community with a school for training missionaries; after searching the surrounding forest, they chose a site about eight miles south of Elyria under an elm tree where they had stopped to pray. Shipherd secured 500 donated acres and bought 5,000 more at $1.50 an acre, naming the settlement for the Alsatian minister J. F. Oberlin. Oberlin Collegiate Institute opened in 1834 with four freshmen under the motto 'Learning and Labor.' The town's character shifted in 1835 when Lane Seminary students who had walked out over the school's refusal to admit Black students on equal terms enrolled instead at Oberlin, and it became a key Underground Railroad stop, most famously in the 1858 Oberlin-Wellington Rescue. Oberlin was also the birthplace of the Anti-Saloon League and of the Hall-Heroult process for industrial aluminum production.

Settled 1833, platted 1833, incorporated 1834 (Oberlin Collegiate Institute chartered), by John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart.

Where the name comes from

The town was named for Jean-Frederic (J. F.) Oberlin (1740-1826), an Alsatian Protestant minister whose educational work among the poor impressed founders John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart.

Before the town

No Native American village, trail, or site specific to Oberlin itself is documented in the sources consulted; the founders' 1833 search for a town site is described as passing through Ohio forest rather than through any identified Native settlement. Lorain County's broader Native history includes a Moravian mission attempt on the Black River in 1787, decades before Oberlin's founding and in a different part of the county.

Timeline

  1. — John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart meet in Elyria and begin planning a religious community and missionary school.
  2. — Shipherd secures 500 donated acres and buys 5,000 more at $1.50 per acre, founding Oberlin under an elm tree where the founders had stopped to pray.
  3. — Oberlin Collegiate Institute is chartered and opens with four freshman students under the motto 'Learning and Labor.'
  4. — The 'Lane Rebels,' students who left Lane Theological Seminary over its refusal to treat Black and white students equally, enroll at Oberlin, reshaping the town's character toward abolitionism.
  5. — Oberlin and Wellington residents free the fugitive John Price from federal custody in the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue; Price is smuggled to Canada.
  6. — Former Oberlin residents Lewis Sheridan Leary, Shields Green, and John Anthony Copeland Jr. take part in John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry.
  7. — A photograph documents the town's Water Works, including its distinctive tower.

Stories

An elm tree, a prayer, and a town built on a motto

John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart met in Elyria in the summer of 1832, both troubled by what they saw as weak Christian morals on the frontier, and decided the answer was to build a community from scratch: a religious settlement wrapped around a school for training missionaries. They searched the forest south of Elyria before stopping to rest, and pray, under an elm tree about eight miles out -- and decided that was the spot. Shipherd talked a landowner into donating 500 acres and bought another 5,000 at $1.50 an acre, naming the whole enterprise for J. F. Oberlin, an Alsatian minister whose work in poor communities had impressed him. The Oberlin Collegiate Institute opened in 1834 with just four freshmen, operating under the motto 'Learning and Labor': tuition was free, but students worked to build and sustain the town around them. The founders had not set out to build an abolitionist stronghold, but that is largely what Oberlin became a year later, when students expelled from Cincinnati's Lane Theological Seminary for demanding equal treatment of Black classmates enrolled at Oberlin instead, and the town's path toward the Underground Railroad and the 1858 Oberlin-Wellington Rescue was set.

Photographs

Oberlin's Water Works, including its tower, around 1894
Oberlin's Water Works, including its tower, around 1894 (c. 1894)
Photo: Toledo Lucas County Public Library, via Digital Public Library of America and the Ohio Digital Network, public domain · Wikimedia Commons
Oberlin College students and faculty gathered in front of Memorial Hall, 1906
Oberlin College students and faculty gathered in front of Memorial Hall, 1906 (1906)
Photo: R. W. Johnston, via U.S. Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, public domain · Wikimedia Commons

Local history sources: en.wikipedia.org · en.wikipedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org · commons.wikimedia.org

Historic places

9 places in Oberlin on the National Register of Historic Places, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks. Press a pin or a name for its whole record.

  1. Evans, Wilson Bruce, House LandmarkBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1980
    Address
    33 E. Vine St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1980
    National Historic Landmark
    Yes
    NRIS reference number
    80003143
    Coordinates
    41.28859, -82.21631

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  2. Langston, John Mercer, House LandmarkBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1975
    Address
    207 E. College St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1975
    National Historic Landmark
    Yes
    NRIS reference number
    75001464
    Coordinates
    41.29127, -82.20979

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  3. Burrell-King HouseBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1979
    Address
    317 E. College St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001886
    Coordinates
    41.29095, -82.20584

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  4. Christ Episcopal ChurchBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1978
    Address
    156 S. Main St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1978
    NRIS reference number
    78002114
    Coordinates
    41.28749, -82.21796

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  5. Congregational Church of ChristBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1974
    Address
    W. Lorain and N. Main Sts.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1974
    NRIS reference number
    74001554
    Coordinates
    41.29443, -82.21809

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  6. Jewett, Frank, HouseBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1979
    Address
    73 S. Professor St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001887
    Coordinates
    41.29000, -82.21944

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  7. Oberlin Gas Lighting Company Gasholder HouseStructure · Oberlin · listed 1998
    Address
    291 S. Main St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Structure
    Listed on the National Register
    1998
    NRIS reference number
    98001397
    Coordinates
    41.28446, -82.21570

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  8. Oberlin Lake Shore And Michigan Southern StationBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1979
    Address
    Depot Park
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1979
    NRIS reference number
    79001888
    Coordinates
    41.28456, -82.21868

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

  9. Westervelt HallBuilding · Oberlin · listed 1974
    Address
    39 S. Main St.
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County · ZIP 44074
    What it is
    Building
    Listed on the National Register
    1974
    NRIS reference number
    74001555
    Coordinates
    41.29066, -82.21671

    National Register file (NPS) ↗ Search Wikipedia ↗ Street map and directions ↗ On the Cracked Buckeye map

Source: National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places point file. The listing year is shown where NPS's certification date agrees with the listing's reference number. Listing recognizes significance; it does not restrict a private owner.

Every historic place in Lorain County on the full map

Water

West Branch Black River, via Oberlin Upground Reservoir The water here

Hospitals, fire stations and more

Inside Oberlin's boundary: 1 hospital, 1 health center, 2 nursing homes, 1 fire or EMS station, 1 college, 1 power plant, 3 public schools, 3 poor-rated bridges, 1 library, 6 museums, 1 police station, 9 public charging sites, 1 Superfund site, 3 Toxics Release Inventory facilities and 1 spill case. Press a pin or a name for its whole record and its source.

Hospitals (1)

  1. Mercy Health - Allen Hospital, LlcCritical access hospital · Oberlin
    What it is
    Critical access hospital
    Address
    200 West Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    County
    Lorain County
    Beds
    25
    Helipad
    Yes
    Ownership
    Non-profit
    Medicare overall rating
    5 of 5 stars
    Emergency department (Medicare)
    Yes
    Medicare reports it as
    Mercy Allen Hospital
    Phone
    (440) 775-1211
    Medicare ID
    361306

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ Hospital's website ↗ Where HIFLD got this record ↗ HIFLD hospitals (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HIFLD hospitals inventory via FEMA (closed hospitals it still lists left out, hospitals opened since added), with Medicare Care Compare ratings matched by name and address.

Community health centers (1)

  1. OberlinHealth center · Oberlin
    Run by
    a federally qualified health center
    Setting
    Clinic
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28409, -82.21796

    Find a Health Center (HRSA) ↗ HRSA data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: HRSA health center service delivery sites, active, September 2026 (school-based sites left out). Health centers see patients whether or not they have insurance, with fees on a sliding scale.

Nursing homes (2)

  1. Kendal at Oberlin5 of 5 stars · Oberlin
    Address
    600 Kendal Drive, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Certified beds
    5
    Residents on an average day
    2
    Medicare overall rating
    5 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    5 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Ownership
    Non profit - Corporation
    Takes
    Medicare
    Phone
    (440) 775-0094
    Medicare ID
    365956

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Welcome Nursing Home Abuse citation2 of 5 stars · Oberlin
    Address
    417 South Main Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Certified beds
    99
    Residents on an average day
    90
    Medicare overall rating
    2 of 5 stars
    Health inspections
    2 of 5 stars
    Staffing
    4 of 5 stars
    Quality measures
    4 of 5 stars
    Penalties since 2023
    none
    Abuse citation (CMS icon)
    Yes
    Ownership
    For profit - Corporation
    Takes
    Medicare and Medicaid
    Phone
    (440) 775-1491
    Medicare ID
    365508

    Medicare Care Compare ↗ CMS nursing home data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: CMS Care Compare nursing home provider and penalties files; Medicare star ratings run 1 to 5.

Fire and EMS stations (1)

  1. Oberlin Fire DepartmentOberlin
    Address
    430 South Main Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Coordinates
    41.28011, -82.21815

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures (most Ohio records last updated 2019 to 2022), checked against the Columbus and Cleveland station lists. The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction and mutual aid, not by distance.

Colleges (1)

  1. Oberlin CollegePrivate nonprofit college · Oberlin
    What it is
    Private nonprofit college
    City
    Oberlin
    Students, 2023-24 (12-month count)
    4,160
    Tuition and fees, in state
    $64,646
    Graduation rate
    79% of bachelor's students, within six years (a class of 726)
    IPEDS unit ID
    204501

    College Navigator (NCES) ↗ IPEDS data (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES IPEDS 2024 directory, 2023-24 enrollment and tuition, graduation rates for the 2017 (four-year) and 2020 (two-year) entering classes.

Power plants (1)

  1. Oberlin (OH)Natural gas · 18 MW
    Capacity
    18 MW
    By fuel
    natural gas 17 MW, oil 1 MW
    Main source
    Natural gas
    Technology
    Natural Gas Internal Combustion Engine; Petroleum Liquids;
    Operator
    City of Oberlin - (OH)
    Sector
    Electric Utility
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County
    Generating units
    9
    Built
    1948 (first unit); newest unit 2001
    EIA plant code
    2933

    EIA plant page ↗ EIA-860 (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EIA-860 power plant inventory via HIFLD (February 2025), with plant codes, units and years from EIA-860 2025.

Public schools (3)

  1. Langston Middle School3.5 of 5 stars · Oberlin
    Address
    150 N Pleasant St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    School district
    Oberlin City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    196
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    18.84
    Report card, 2025-26
    3.5 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    77.7%
    Ohio building IRN
    028381
    NCES school ID
    390445901472

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Oberlin Elementary School3 of 5 stars · Oberlin
    Address
    210 N Park St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    School district
    Oberlin City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    361
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    28.06
    Report card, 2025-26
    3 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    71.1%
    Ohio building IRN
    009738
    NCES school ID
    390445901470

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Oberlin High School4 of 5 stars · Oberlin
    Address
    281 N Pleasant St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    School district
    Oberlin City School District
    Kind (NCES)
    Regular School
    Students, 2023-24
    225
    Teachers (full-time equivalent)
    22.5
    Report card, 2025-26
    4 of 5 stars
    Performance index
    77%
    Four-year graduation rate
    98.5%
    Ohio building IRN
    028399
    NCES school ID
    390445901471

    NCES school record ↗ Ohio School Report Card ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NCES EDGE public school locations 2024-25 and Common Core of Data 2023-24 (type, students, teachers); Ohio School Report Cards 2025-26 (Department of Education and Workforce), matched by name within the district.

Bridges rated poor (3)

  1. East Vine Street over Plum CreekPoor · built 1930
    Condition
    Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
    What it is
    Bridge
    Built
    1930
    Length
    8 ft
    Owner
    City
    Vehicles a day
    1,949
    Coordinates
    41.28888, -82.21717

    National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Morgan Street over Plum CreekPoor · built 1930
    Condition
    Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
    What it is
    Bridge
    Built
    1930
    Length
    8 ft
    Owner
    City
    Vehicles a day
    1,290
    Coordinates
    41.28700, -82.22050

    National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Pleasant Street over Plum CreekPoor · built 1930
    Condition
    Poor: a deck, superstructure, substructure or culvert rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale
    What it is
    Bridge
    Built
    1930
    Length
    10 ft
    Owner
    City
    Vehicles a day
    707
    Coordinates
    41.28981, -82.21496

    National Bridge Inventory (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: FHWA National Bridge Inventory 2025. "Poor" means one major part rated 4 or below on the 0 to 9 scale; it calls for repair, not closing, unless the state posts or closes the bridge.

Public libraries (1)

  1. Oberlin Public LibraryCentral library · Oberlin
    Address
    65 S. Main St., Oberlin, OH 44074
    What it is
    Central library
    Library system
    Oberlin Public Library
    Open
    3,100 hours a year, 52 weeks
    Building
    19,640 sq ft
    System's visits, FY2024
    36,920
    System's loans, FY2024
    154,891
    People the system serves
    10,938
    Phone
    (440) 775-4790

    IMLS Public Libraries Survey (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: IMLS Public Libraries Survey FY2024 (outlets and their systems). Any Ohio resident can get a free card at any Ohio public library.

Museums, historical societies, gardens and zoos (6)

  1. Allen Memorial Art MuseumArt museum · Oberlin
    What it is
    Art museum
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.29401, -82.21042

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  2. Leadership OhioMuseum · Oberlin
    What it is
    Museum
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28886, -82.22526

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  3. Oberlin African-American Genealogy & History GroupHistorical society · Oberlin
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28886, -82.22526

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  4. Oberlin Heritage CenterMuseum · Oberlin
    What it is
    Museum
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28886, -82.22526

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  5. Oberlin Historical And Improvement OrganizationHistorical society · Oberlin
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28892, -82.21902

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

  6. Oberlin Underground Railroad CenterHistorical society · Oberlin
    What it is
    Historical society
    City
    Oberlin
    Coordinates
    41.28886, -82.22526

    Search Wikipedia ↗ IMLS Museum Data Files (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

    The museum list is IMLS's 2018 file; a museum may have closed or moved since.

Source: IMLS Museum Data Files, 2018.

Police stations (1)

  1. Oberlin Police DepartmentOberlin
    Address
    85 South Main Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Coordinates
    41.28938, -82.21672

    USGS National Map structures (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: USGS National Map structures, police stations, corrected and completed by hand (September 2026). The department that answers a call is set by jurisdiction, not by distance.

Public EV charging (9)

  1. George A Abram Pavillion1 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    40 Edison St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    1 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    AMPUP
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    833-692-6787

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Kendal at Oberlin2 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    600 Kendal Drive, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    Blink Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-998-2546

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Oberlin City Hall1 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    85 S Main St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    1 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    AMPUP
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Price
    $0.18 per kWh

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  4. Oberlin College - Woodland Res Hall4 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    150 Woodland St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    4 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    OpConnect
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    855-885-9571

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  5. Oberlin Elementary School4 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    210 N Park St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    4 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    Non-Networked
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Price
    $1.55 per kWh

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  6. Oberlin PD lot DC fast1 DC fast · Oberlin
    Address
    85 South Main St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    1 DC fast
    Plugs
    CCS, CHAdeMO
    Network
    FLO
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-356-8911

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  7. OMLPS CITY HALL2 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    85 S Main St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  8. OMLPS FINANCE OFFICE2 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    69 S Main St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  9. OMLPS PAVILLION2 Level 2 · Oberlin
    Address
    260 S Main St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    Ports
    2 Level 2
    Plugs
    J1772
    Network
    ChargePoint Network
    Hours
    24 hours daily
    Phone
    888-758-4389

    Station Locator (NREL) ↗ Alternative Fuels Data Center (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: NREL Alternative Fuels Data Center station list (May 2026), public and open stations, the posts at one address counted as one site.

Superfund sites (1)

  1. Oberlin Leaking UstSuperfund program · Oberlin
    Address
    550 West College Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    County
    Lorain County
    Status
    Superfund program site, not on the National Priorities List
    EPA program ID
    OHN000506029
    EPA registry ID
    110067350529

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Superfund (SEMS) and National Priorities List sites. Many program sites were assessed and needed no cleanup.

Facilities reporting toxic releases (3)

  1. General Plug & Manufacturing Co.Toxics Release Inventory · Oberlin
    Address
    132 Artino St, Oberlin, OH 44074
    County
    Lorain County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    4407WGNRLP132AR
    EPA registry ID
    110000840332

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  2. Johnson Controls Inc.Toxics Release Inventory · Oberlin
    Address
    450 Stern St., Oberlin, OH 44074
    County
    Lorain County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44074JHNSN450ST
    EPA registry ID
    110008057565

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

  3. Quebecor World Oberlin DivToxics Release Inventory · Oberlin
    Address
    235 Artino Street, Oberlin, OH 44074
    County
    Lorain County
    Status
    Reports to the Toxics Release Inventory (active)
    EPA program ID
    44074QBCRW235AR
    EPA registry ID
    110004591184

    EPA facility record ↗ EPA Facility Registry Service (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: EPA Facility Registry Service, Toxics Release Inventory reporters. Reporting a release is required of large users of listed chemicals; it is not by itself a violation.

Spills reported since 2021 (1)

  1. Chemical(S) Unk2024-02-01 · Oberlin
    Reported
    2024-02-01
    What spilled
    Chemical(S) Unk; Fuel Diesel / Diesel Fuel (Vehicle On Or Off Road); Fuel Gasoline ( 25% Ethanol Not E85)
    Where
    Oberlin, Lorain County
    Ohio EPA district office
    NEDO
    Ohio EPA case number
    2402EPA0000176

    Ohio EPA spill reports (source) ↗ Street map and directions ↗

Source: Ohio EPA emergency response spill reports, 2021 to September 2026, one point per case where Ohio EPA placed it. A report is what the caller or responder recorded; amounts are often blank or estimated.

Its ZIP codes

Each ZIP code that touches Oberlin, with the share of its residents who live here and the same headline figures as the ZIP page.

ZIPShareWaterRadon Home valueSchoolsFlood
44074 Oberlin 72% West Branch Black River, via Oberlin Upground Reservoir 3.6 pCi/L average radon Median year built 1960 Oberlin City · 4 stars overall 2.5% of residents in the 1% floodplain

Local government

Who holds office in Oberlin, how its elections and ballot issues came out, and the state auditor's record.

Money issues on the ballot since 2025: 2 of 2 passed.

Ballot issues

DateIssueForAgainstResult
2025-11-04 Issue 11: Current Expenses 1,842525Passed (77.82% for)
2025-11-04 Issue 12: Garbage 1,957423Passed (82.23% for)

Elections for office

DateOfficeCandidates and votes
2025-11-04 Member of Council at Large Eboni A. Johnson 1,704, 16.12%; Libni Lopez 1,542, 14.59%; Kristin L. Peterson 1,542, 14.59%; Jessa D. New 1,479, 13.99%; Michael McFarlin 1,463, 13.84%; Joe Waltzer 1,431, 13.54%; Sandra Miller 1,410, 13.34%

Winners in bold. Results from the county board of elections' official canvass unless marked.

Auditor of State record

The county

Lorain County: 15 ZIP codes, 32 cities, villages and townships, 304,042 people.

Nearby places

New Russia Township, Lorain County Henrietta Township, Lorain County Pittsfield Township, Lorain County Camden Township, Lorain County Carlisle Township, Lorain County

Rain and snow

How much has actually fallen on Oberlin, day by day, from 1893 to now. Daily totals, not averages.

rain, last 30 days
2.66 in
2026-09-30 to 2026-10-29
rain so far in 2026
35.5 in
about normal for the date
snow so far in 2026
42.1 in
a normal year brings 50.2 in
a normal year
40.0 in
average of 30 years, 1991-2020
The last twelve months
MonthRain (in)Snow (in)Days counted
October 2026 2.66 — 29
September 2026 2.84 — 30
August 2026 5.33 — 31
July 2026 3.37 — 31
June 2026 3.62 — 30
May 2026 4.52 — 31
April 2026 7.21 — 30
March 2026 2.70 1.0 31
February 2026 0.58 7.2 28
January 2026 2.71 33.9 31
December 2025 1.74 6.3 31
November 2025 1.94 0.3 30
On the record, 1893–2026
Wettest year2011 — 56.0 in
Driest year1963 — 17.9 in
Snowiest year2008 — 82.6 in
Wettest day on record25 June 1937 — 4.12 in
Heaviest snowfall in a day1 March 1954 — 15.98 in
Deepest snow on the ground4 March 1954 — 22.01 in

Almost every day here is a measurement: 97% of them come from a rain gauge standing inside Oberlin itself.

48,074 days of records, 1893-04-01 to 2026-10-29. Source: NOAA NCEI GHCN-Daily, 3,240 gauges in and around Ohio. A day is "gauged" when a gauge standing inside the boundary reported it, and the value is the mean of those gauges. Otherwise it is interpolated by inverse distance from every gauge reporting within 50 miles. Nothing is carried forward, back-filled or smoothed. Against NOAA nClimDiv county monthly precipitation over 136,848 complete county-months (checked 2026-10-31): correlation 0.9515, median absolute difference 0.217 in a month. Built 2026-10-31 from the Cracked Buckeye precipitation archive. Snow is the softer number — snowfall is measured by hand with a ruler, no agency publishes a gridded county snowfall series, and blowing snow defeats every observer.

Environmental permits and filings

What Ohio EPA has on file for Oberlin: permits, inspections, violations, cleanups and the state loans behind sewer and water work. Every line links to the agency's own document.

facilities and sites on file
28
those placed on the map inside Oberlin
What kind of permits
ProgramFacilities and sites
Wastewater and stormwater discharge10
Hazardous waste8
Air pollution5
Sewer and water-line construction2
Site assessment2
Public drinking water1
The latest filings
DateFacility or siteWhat
OBERLIN COLLEGE Air pollution permit
OMEGA HEALTH SERVICES LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge violation resolved
OBERLIN MUNICIPAL LIGHT & POWER SYSTEM Air pollution permit
LORAIN COUNTY RNG FACILITY Air pollution permit
OMEGA HEALTH SERVICES LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water plan
OBERLIN MUNICIPAL LIGHT & POWER SYSTEM Air pollution permit
LORAIN COUNTY RNG FACILITY Air pollution permit
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water inspection
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water monitoring results
TACO BELL - OBERLIN Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
TACO BELL - OBERLIN Sewer and water-line construction permit
FOREST STREET IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
TACO BELL - OBERLIN Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water report
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water plan
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water inspection
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water inspection
OMEGA HEALTH SERVICES LLC Wastewater and stormwater discharge inspection
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water plan
TACO BELL - OBERLIN Sewer and water-line construction permit
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water inspection
OBERLIN PLACE Wastewater and stormwater discharge permit
OBERLIN WATER DEPARTMENT PWS Public drinking water plan
LORAIN COUNTY RNG FACILITY Air pollution violation resolved

Source: Ohio EPA eDocument portal (edocpub.epa.ohio.gov), indexed 2026-10-14. Facilities are placed on the map from Ohio EPA's own map layers, EPA's Facility Registry, coordinates written in the filings, or a geocoded street address. A permit filed under a private person's name (most are household septic systems) is counted but never named, placed or linked; licenses for individual workers and open-burning notices are left out entirely.

Quick answers

What county is Oberlin, Ohio in?

Oberlin is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, with 8,609 residents.

When was Oberlin, Ohio founded?

Oberlin was settled 1833; laid out 1833; incorporated 1834 (Oberlin Collegiate Institute chartered). Founders on record: John Jay Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart. Source

How did Oberlin, Ohio get its name?

The town was named for Jean-Frederic (J. Source

What ZIP code is Oberlin, Ohio?

Most of Oberlin is in ZIP code 44074.

Where does Oberlin, Ohio get its water?

The main water source for Oberlin (Oberlin Water Department): West Branch Black River, via Oberlin Upground Reservoir.

Cite this page as:

Cracked Buckeye, "Oberlin, Lorain County", https://crackedbuckeye.com/place/oberlin/, built 2026-10-31, accessed [date].

How to cite · Report a correction · Built 2026-10-31