In 1847, the Congress of the United States built the Vermilion Lighthouse to aid navigation on Lake Erie.

As commerce grew in larger nearby cities, the Vermilion River proved inadequate to large commercial traffic.

Merging with the nearby village of Vermilion-on-the-Lake in 1960, Vermilion became a city, straddling Lorain and Erie Counties.

[15] Housing styles in the district include Victorian, Italianate, Arts and Crafts, and Queen Anne.

Community-wide revitalization efforts have been promoted since the 1970s, encouraging property owners and citizens to retain historic qualities.

The Vermilion Lagoons neighborhood is one of the first planned residential communities on the water in the United States, with construction starting in 1928.

[16] Over 150,000 people visit Vermilion for the Woollybear Festival; it includes the longest parade in Ohio.

[citation needed] Vermilion harbor features sandy beaches, recreational boating, jet skis, canoeing, and sailboats.

VIT delivers certification programs for electrical technicians, appliance repair, and structured innovation and inventive problem solving (TRIZ) for science, engineering, business, healthcare, and government.

St. Mary's[20] parochial school has been serving preschool and grades K-6 since 1956 The Lucy Idol Center, located on the edge of town, offers nonresidential care for disabled children and adults.

Bowling Green State University (Firelands campus) and Lorain County Community College, both accredited schools offering four-year and advanced degrees, are located within a 20-minute drive of Vermilion.