Grafton offers village history, country living and nearby jobs
Among the farmlands of Lorain County, Grafton has balanced rural living with economic growth for more than 200 years. While the village is primarily an agricultural community, whispers of the area’s railroad and quarry past remain. Trains still pass through the area daily, and sandstone sidewalks line the preserved historic business district. The village also has several manufacturing and correctional employers that boost the local economy. “Compared to surrounding areas, Grafton is a mix of Elyria’s fairly large downtown and LaGrange’s countryside,” says Kyle Recker, Realtor with Howard Hanna Real Estate Services, whose team specializes in the southwest side of Cleveland. Residential areas offer variety, and recreational opportunities are abundant.
Blended neighborhoods have rural architecture and solar power
Most neighborhoods connect to Main Street. The community’s south side has narrow streets lined with less than a quarter-acre lots and mature trees. Newer subdivisions in the north are also tree-lined, but lots are around half an acre, and streets are wider. Vast farmlands and forests lie beyond each subdivision. Architectural styles vary from bungalows and ranch styles to farmhouses, American Foursquares and New Traditional homes. The village’s median price is $350,000, less than the national median of about $420,000. “Since Grafton has farm communities and rural life, it offers more affordable housing outside the city,” Recker says.
Grafton is home to a 35-acre solar power farm and generation facility, which provides alternative energy to the entire village. The facility works in tandem with the village power grid and has reduced many homeowners’ electric bills.
Rail lines and highways keep Grafton connected but not always quiet
Highway 57, also known as Main Street, is the village’s primary artery. The thoroughfare connects with Highway 20, leading drivers to downtown Cleveland in around 30 minutes. Cleveland Hopkins International Airport is even closer, at roughly 20 minutes away. A CSX rail line and the Grafton & Upton Railroad pass through the village, intersecting near the community’s center. Both lines are busy and lack quiet zones, so horns and rumbling wheels can be heard throughout the day. The nearest hospital is UH Elyria Medical Center about 7 miles north.
Main Street has small businesses and a historic downtown
Main Street is the village’s commercial corridor. Fast food restaurants and auto parts stores face locally owned eateries, like Nancy’s Main Street Diner and Gehring’s Tavern. Alberts Fresh Market is the only supermarket. Near the village hall, businesses start to look more old-fashioned. Original brick buildings hold offices and boutiques, and string lights stretch between vintage lampposts. A bright yellow caboose sits at the corner of Main and Railroad streets, calling back to the village’s rail connections.
Midview schools offer local students technical career pathways
Students attend the Midview Local School District, which has six schools serving prekindergarten through 12th grade. Niche gives the district a B rating. Midview High School offers several career pathway programs, from visual imaging and design to Micro-Electro-Mechanical-Systems (MEMS). The high school has a B-minus rating.
Parks offer baseball, trails, golf and splash pads
At Reservoir Park, Hot Stove baseball league games are in full swing from April to August. Park visitors can walk along trails or cast a line into the Grafton Reservoir. Across the street, Willow Park hosts summer concerts and sets off Independence Day fireworks. North Park offers a playground, sports courts, a gated dog park and a community center. During summer, a colorful splash pad opens. The Indian Hollow Reservation — a Lorain County Metro Park — borders the village to the west. The Lorain County Metro Parks Trail offers access to the park and connects to a larger network of hiking and mountain biking trails. A public golf course is also inside the reservation.
Grafton celebrates the seasons with festivals
Every June, Trash to Treasures takes over the village. This community-wide rummage sale starts with a farmers market at Centerra Country Store and spreads as people open their garages and yards to sell secondhand goods. During the Grafton Fall Festival, people enjoy blacksmithing displays, a vintage car collection and tractor rides around town. Winter brings the Old-Fashioned Christmas celebration to Main Street, featuring everything from pictures with Santa to ice sculpting and a holiday play.
Grafton’s economy grew with the arrival of state correctional jobs
In 1990, the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction (ODRC) built the Lorain Correctional Institution in Grafton. This decision brought many jobs to the area, boosting the community’s primarily agricultural economy. Since then, more correctional institutions have joined the village, and the ODRC has become Grafton’s largest employer. By 2027, two small-scale juvenile corrections facilities will open near the existing prisons, bringing roughly 140 new jobs to Grafton.
Photography Contributed By
Tiffany Karla
