History features are brief articles or posts about specific topics that have been written by OHC staff members, volunteers, and community members.
This page will be under development for some time as we migrate content from the old website. If you are interested in a particular article that is missing, please contact us.
by Ron Gorman, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer docent, researcher and trustee The recent Presidential election, in which Ohio continued its recent trend of flip-flopping between blue and red every 8 years, got me thinking about early Ohio history. It was even worse...
by Ron Gorman, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer docent, researcher, and trustee Oberlin's history is chock-full of people who have gained national and international recognition for their achievements, like Antoinette Brown (Blackwell) - the first female ordained...
by Ron Gorman, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer docent, researcher and trustee Frances ("Fanny") Jackson came to Oberlin in 1860 with a dream - a dream "to get an education and to teach my people", she said. "This idea was deep in my soul. Where it came from I cannot...
By Melva Tolbert, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer September 9, 2015 While recently visiting my daughter, who resides in New Orleans, Louisiana, we decided to spend an afternoon at the Whitney Plantation in Wallace, LA. Jessica is a history major and an...
by Ron Gorman, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer docent, researcher, and trustee July 23, 2015 In my last blog, I wrote about how Juneteenth became a national celebration of the end of slavery in the United States. But before there was a Juneteenth, there was the...
by Ron Gorman, Oberlin Heritage Center volunteer docent, researcher and trustee This year marks the 150th anniversary of the first "Juneteenth" - June 19, 1865 - a day which has come to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States. Since Juneteenth is such an...
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The Burrell-King House: Its Life and Legacy The Burrell-King House, which sits at 315 East College Street, stands as a memorial to Oberlin’s past, and a quiet reminder of the strength and courage of her founders. Built in 1852, this house remains distinguished by the...
Oberlin Monuments and Landmarks: Toni Morrison’s “Bench by the Road” Location: Northeast corner of Main and Lorain Built: 2009 Dedicated: April 23, 2009 Oberlin’s Bench by the Road recognizes the community’s history and connections with the Underground...
The Capture of La Amistad In January of 1839, a group of newly-captured African "slaves" were put on a ship bound for Cuba, where they would be sold into slavery. Among this group were four children, including a young girl, about seven years old, named Margru--"Black...
Thaddeus Cahill: The Start of the Electronic Music Era Written in 2018-19 by Wesley Patterson, Bonner Scholar at Oberlin College and Volunteer Researcher and Docent at Oberlin Heritage Center. Oberlin, since its creation in 1833, has been the catalyst for many...
Moses Fleetwood Walker: A Depiction of his Notable and Innovative Inventions. Figure 1: Moses Fleetwood Walker.[1] by Wesley Patterson, Bonner Scholar at Oberlin College and Volunteer, in 2018-2019. Researcher and Docent at Oberlin Heritage Center. Since the creation...
On May 4, 1970, members of the Ohio National Guard opened fire on students protesting the Vietnam War at Kent State University, killing four. In the days that followed, college towns across the United States and especially in Ohio were on edge. They worried that...
(This document, including signatures, is held by the Oberlin College Archives) Covenant of the Oberlin Colony (1833) Lamenting the degeneracy of the church and the deplorable condition of our perishing world, and ardently desirous of bringing both under the entire...
By Emily Winnicki, 2022 Summer OHC Intern DISCLAIMER: The Oberlin Heritage Center does not recommend the use of any products not currently approved by the FDA. Figure 1. Advertisement for “Flash” (Oberlin Alumni Magazine, July 1921) History of...
By Zenobia Calhoun, 2021 Summer OHC Volunteer A long drought in 1930 tested Oberlinians’ energy and strength along with millions around the nation. It decimated crops and threatened Oberlin’s water supply: “The water shortage really was a serious condition—more...
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