Lima, Ohio

Lima, Ohio was first established on April 20, 1831 and incorporated in 1842. The Northwest Ohio community prospered with the opening of the Miami & Erie Canal in nearby Delphos in 1845. Oil was also discovered in 1845 and the discovery brought an economic boom to Lima. For a time, the Lima Oil Field was the largest in the nation — an historical marker sits at the east of the North Street crossing of the Ottawa River. In 2009, Lima’s population was 38,083 (U.S. Census).

Lima is the county seat of Allen County, Ohio and home to the Allen County Court of Common Pleas. There is a Court of Common Pleas in each of Ohio’s 88 counties. The Court of Common Pleas is the trial court of general jurisdiction, hearing felony cases as well as civil disputes where the amount of money in controversy exceeds $500. This court has exclusive jurisdiction over civil cases exceeding $10,000.

If you have a personal injury case in Ohio, your claim will be heard in civil court. The Ohio Rules of Civil Procedure set out the rules for civil cases from the commencement of the civil action to the final remedies available.

The Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Ohio. The home of the Supreme Court is the newly restored Ohio Judicial Center located at 65 South Front Street, Columbus, Ohio. Most of the cases heard by the Ohio Supreme Court are appeals from the 12 district Ohio Courts of Appeals.

Lima is easily accessed at the intersection of State Route 309 and the busy Interstate 75 corridor, approximately 72 miles north of Dayton and 78 miles south-southwest of Toledo. The Lima Allen County Airport, southeast of the central business district of Lima, is a small public use airport owned by the Allen County Regional Airport Authority.

Lima is a Northwest Ohio medical hub, home to St. Rita’s Medical Center and Lima Memorial Health System, both major regional employers. St. Rita’s Medical Center is a Level II Trauma Center, providing regional care to persons with serious personal injuries. In 2008, St. Rita’s purchased Lima Allen County Paramedics, opening a new dispatch center for 911 emergency response on the medical center’s campus. Lima Memorial was founded in 1899 as Lima City Hospital by the citizens of the Lima community and is now a partner with ProMedica Health Systems.

The pride of Lima is the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center operated by General Dynamics. The Lima, Ohio Army Tank Plant is vital to national security, producing tanks for the U.S. Army, the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Navy.

Lima, OH residents have several options for higher education, such as the James A. Rhodes State College, Mt. Vernon Nazarene University, the Ohio State University at Lima and the University of Northwestern Ohio.

The fine and performing arts abound in Lima with the Allen County Museum, Artspace Lima, Crouse Performance Hall and the Encore Theatre. The Lima Fire Fighters Memorial Museum showcases Lima’s heritage and history.

Lima, OH is also home to a number of fairs and festivals. The annual Allen County Fair held in Lima is one of the largest traditional agricultural fairs in Ohio. The Allen County Fair celebrates and promotes the long agricultural heritage of the county.