About Us
We are a family oriented home owners association located on the shores of Lake Erie in Vermilion Township.
Orchard Beach was originally developed in the 1920s by Cleveland investors O.K. Shimansky (Shimansky Realty) and C.S. Gongwer as a summer vacation destination. At that time it was affiliated with the Orchard Beach Golf Course, which later became today's Vermilion Country Club.
When first developed, drinking water was carried to the cottages from two wells. Vermilion city water was installed in 1935.
During prohibition, "rum-runners" brought liquor from Canada to the bottom of Risden Road, where it was unloaded on the U.S. side.
For railroad buffs, Orchard Beach was Stop #134-1/2 on the Lake Shore Electric Railroad.
