Oberlin, Ohio (a photo gallery)

July 2, 2021

The town of Oberlin is defined by Oberlin College, an institution with a remarkable heritage. founded as an intentional project with a strong as part of the utopian community and abolishonist movements that sprang up in the country in the 1830’s. We were both amazed to read the attached Wikipedia article and see the extensive list of unique aspects of this place:

Founded in 1833 (the same year as Kalamazoo College), it was the first coeducational liberal arts college in the country and only the second continuously operating coed college in the world.
The Oberlin Conservatory of Music is the oldest continuously operating conservatory in the country.
Oberlin was tone of the first college in the country to admit African Americans, and the first to admit women.

We both fell in love with Oberlin. We were enchanted by it in several different ways - for its architecture, gardens, trees, parks, monuments - but above all for its humanistic, welcoming ambience. It was therapeutic, the perfect mental antidote to the past weeks of biking past belligerent Trump signs and flags. Rachael declared it was easily the favorite place we’ve visited on this tour, and was ready to move in.

The prominent bell tower of the Westervelt Building is visible from much of the town.

The Westervelt Building, built in 1869, was originally built as a school. For many years it served as Oberlin’s high school. After the building fell into disuse, the bell tower was restored in 1997.

There are so many spectacular trees around town. We especially admired this one.

A yew? But what are those growths - part of the tree, or maybe an insect’s nest?

Some sort of spruce? I’ve never seen one with such long cones.

The panel for those lost in the Civil War.

I’m sure Andrea has identified this for me before, but I have a sieve for a memory.

The Christ Episcopal Church, built in 1855 and on the national register.

The entryway of Christ Episcopal Church. An easy rule to remember.

"Giles Waldo Shurtleff (1831-1904): Believing in the ability of the negro to aid in the fight for his freedom, he organized the first regiment of colored troops raised in Ohio. Inspired by his leadership they offered their lives for the freedom of their race.“

This brick Victorian house, built in 1884, was the home of Oberlin College chemistry professor Frank Fanning Jewett and his wife, Sarah Frances Gulick Jewett, author of books on public health and hygiene. The Jewetts and the subsequent owners, the Hubbards, rented rooms to male Oberlin College students, who slept in the attic and studied on the second floor. One of Jewett's students was Charles Martin Hall, who discovered the cost-effective process for commercially manufactured aluminum. The house and simple woodshed feature an exhibit called Aluminum: The Oberlin Connection, which includes a re-creation of Hall's 1886 woodshed experiment. Hall went on to become the cofounder of Alcoa, and upon his death left a third of his estate to Oberlin College.

Talcott Hall. Built in 1886, and one of the oldest buildings on campus.

Baldwin College, the women’s housing facility built in 1887 after the previous one was destroyed by fire. Not exactly my idea of a cottage.

The First United Methodist Church, in the window of Baldwin Cottage.

The almost surreal Peters Hall. Reminds me of the fairytale castle in Segovia.

In Tappan Square: The Memorial Arch was erected as a memorial to the missionaries of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions who lost their lives in the Boxer uprising in China in 1900. Oberlin was chosen as the proper place for this monument because all but four of those who suffered martyrdom were Oberlin students or members of the families of these students.

An oak in Tappan Square, just one of the many magnificent trees in town.

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Ben ParkeGood to see Oberlin continues to uphold the values it was founded under. It had always been a bastion of equality. It also has an excellent music program where one of my students will be studying next year. I’m happy to see he will get to live in such a great community.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Ben ParkeIt feels like a pretty self-selecting community, and one we’d be happy to select ourselves into also. Sort of a blue islet in the Red Sea.
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2 years ago

Jen RahnBeautiful place! I would visit.
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2 years ago