Lorain is a city in Lorain County, Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 Census, the city had a total population of 68,652 making it Ohio's 10th largest city. Lorain is located in Northeast Ohio, on Lake Erie, at the mouth of the Black River, west of Cleveland. It was first settled in 1807 and was originally named Charleston. Ford Motor Company had a plant in the city, assembling the Ford Econoline van; the plant ceased production on December 14, 2005. The sprawling United States Steel Mills, portions recently acquired by Republic Steel, strech for nearly 3 miles on the city's south side. These mills have operated in the city since 1898 and continue to employ thousands. The Lorain Works is one of the few integrated steel mills left in the United States.