Erie County, Ohio, named after the Erie Tribe, broke off from Huron County in 1838 and quickly saw an increase in population for the next couple of decades.
In fact, Erie County, Ohio, saw a steady increase in population until the 1990s, when its population began to decline.
This was due to the loss of manufacturing jobs, specifically in its largest town, Sandusky.
Jobs began to move overseas or to other states with lower taxes and, with it, the population.
Erie County is made up of mostly rural towns with one decent-sized pocket of the population in Sandusky. It has turned from a county made up of mostly manufacturing jobs in primarily the auto industry to a town focused on tourism to Cedar Point, the Lake Erie Islands, and Kalahari Indoor Water Park.
Named below are the Cities, Villages, and Townships located in Erie County.
Sandusky
Sandusky is the largest town in Erie County and is known for its history and tourism.
The city is located on the coast of Lake Erie, and its streets were designed to be in the shape of a Masonic star thanks to surveyor Hector Kilbourne, who designed what became known as the Kilbourne Plat.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, Sandusky saw steady population growth due to its industries. Early industries included ice harvesting, lumber transportation, and the international Paper Industry. As the 20th century progressed, the ports were developed, and fishing became a large industry.
General Motors built a factory in the city, and Cedar Point began to make Sandusky a popular destination during the summer.
The industry changed in the 1990s. Higher-paying jobs were replaced with lower-wage jobs due to the tourist industry. Factories shut down or relocated to different states. Jobs that once created a wealthy upper middle class were soon gone. Migration from the city to the suburbs also began, which resulted in businesses relocating from downtown to areas that provided more population.
However, over the past 20 years, there has been a bit of a renaissance in downtown Sandusky, with many businesses, primarily restaurants, opening and taking advantage of the tourism that flows through the city.
Perkins Township
It may be odd to place a Township before other cities in Erie County. However, Perkins Township is part of Sandusky and, over the past half-century, has become a significant portion of the population in Erie County and plays a role in the local government.
The business sector in Perkins exploded due to Route 250, which is the primary road into Cedar Point. Businesses moved from downtown Sandusky to Perkins in favor of more parking, more land, and overall convenience.
Soon, the main stretch exploded with many well-known restaurant chains and franchises laying claim to the tourism that floods into the city.
Perkins still remains a nice place to live, but there has been a small shift to living in downtown Sandusky.
Huron
Huron is the second-largest city in Erie County and is one of the more picturesque. It is home to the Huron Tigers and positioned nicely on Lake Erie. The city is home to some beautiful views and excellent fishing.
Every year, the city throws a large festival known as Riverfest. It is a significant event for the community that many in other surrounding communities come out to participate in.
Fireworks light up the sky, and every night seems to have a special event that everyone flocks to.
Huron is a mix of small-town and rural. They have a quaint downtown that is nice to walk through or take a drive.
Castalia
The smallest town in the county is the peaceful town of Castalia.
Castalia is surrounded by Cold Creek, which is known as the river that never freezes. The downtown is just a street with a small shopping center, and the center of town is the football field where the Margaretta Polar Bears play.
Christian Broadcasting Ministries has a local television and radio station that serves the Northeast Ohio region, and it is also home to a private school, Firelands Christian Academy.
Rest Haven and the local Quarry give this little town some excellent scenery. Unlike the coastal towns listed above, Castalia is located more inland, and the scenery is roaming forests and fishing holes.
A local favorite is Village Pizza House, which has been in Castalia for decades.
Berlin Heights
Another small but beautiful city located in Erie County is Berlin Heights.
Similar to Castalia is that it is a village, but not similar to Castalia in that it is somehow linked to the free love movement in the 1850s. This is ironic because Berlin Heights is a small rural town that is probably more conservative than liberal but actually has liberal roots.
Regardless, the town throws a basket festival every year, and it does tend to get a lot of visitors.