Old Interurban Station

Built in 1902 at the southeast corner of Liberty Avenue and Exchange Street in Vermilion, Ohio, this one-story brick building originally served as a station for the electric interurban railway. The line was built through town about 1900 and followed a route along the lake shore. The building has a rectangular plan, a sandstone foundation, a hip roof with asphalt shingles, and a basement. Large brick arches, projecting brick pilasters and a broad overhanging roof give it a distinctive Richardsonian Romanesque character. The interurban went bankrupt at the start of the Great Depression, leaving the station vacant. It was later remodeled into offices, and plans called for further remodeling with an emphasis on restoration for use as a bank. It is considered the only example of Romanesque architecture in the community, and it preserves a link to Vermilion's transportation history. A small lawn and shrubbery sit in front, with a parking lot at the rear.