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Our Community
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Welcome to Oberlin!
For residents, we have included all the
information you need to live, work and enjoy the differences
that make Oberlin a special home. As our site grows, we hope to
provide interactive capability between your computer and your
City government.
Visitors will find our site an invaluable
resource for inquiries about City services, planning and
development, and just what makes Oberlin the selection for "Ohio's
Best College Town".
From the time the City was settled in 1833
through today, Oberlin's progress has been marked by strong
alliances among community partners - Oberlin Public
Library,
Oberlin City Schools, Oberlin Chamber of
Commerce, and Oberlin
College. A visit to our community would not be complete
without seeing what they have to offer.
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Local History
In 1832, Presbyterian minister John Shipherd and his student,
Philo Stewart, ventured southward from the pioneer town of Elyria
to found a sin-free colony and college in the Northern Ohio
wilderness. What they found was a swamp, a convenient elm to rest
against - and a bear. Taking deliverance from the bear as a sign
of God's favor, they stopped where they were and named their new
Eden: Oberlin.
From the beginning, the town and college - both officially
founded in 1833 - have lived and worked together. It was the
college's second president, Charles Grandison Finney, who paved
the way for Oberlin College to become the first institution of
higher learning in the U.S. to admit women and blacks. In the late
1840's, southern blacks began coming north in search of freedom.
Many stayed on in Ohio communities to help the growing number of
fugitive slaves escape to Canada on what became known as the
Underground Railroad.
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Community
Living
If you
overheard a conversation at an Oberlin coffeehouse or street
corner is not one you're likely to hear anywhere else. It might be
a heated debate on Dante, a friendly wrangle about the relative
merits of geothermal versus nuclear energy, or a knock-down
drag-out over the quality of horsehair in a violin's bow.
One thing is certain: No one in Oberlin is left out. Public
gatherings, such as the hundreds of concerts and events held each
year at Oberlin College, are a great place to talk. So are
restaurants, school plays, council meetings, and - yes -
sidewalks.
Oberlin's historic legacy serves as a
constant backdrop to its distinctive residential and business
activity. New business entrants enjoy the quaint character of the
Central Business District and a business climate in the industrial
park. At its center is a thirteen-acre town square - Tappan Square
- lavishly planted with trees and crisscrossed by brick walkways.
Surrounding the square are features distinctive of this
picturesque home of Oberlin College. They include a quintet of
Romanesque college buildings - among them the world-class Allen
Memorial Art Museum; a Victorian-style brick commercial center;
and quiet streets lined by century homes and one of Ohio's
loveliest private gardens - the Arboretum.
With more than 1,500 concerts, films, lectures and dance,
theater and opera productions sponsored each year, Oberlin College
and its renowned Conservatory of Music alone provide the town with
more than enough reasons to be ranked high in the visual and
performing arts.
From the City's early roots up until today, Oberlin's
progress has been marked by strong alliances among community
partners - Oberlin Public Library, Oberlin City Schools, and
Oberlin Chamber of Commerce. Our quality of life is enriched by their
activities and we encourage you to visit their sites.
Welcome to Oberlin!
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Education
Oberlin Public Schools provides for elementary education at
2 neighborhood schools, plus a middle school and
Oberlin High School. The full curriculum is supplemented by vocational and college preparatory programs. Many high school students enroll in classes at the Joint Vocational School. There are special programs available for students with disabilities, before and after school care programs, many extracurricular activities, including music participation, and community volunteer programs. The athletic program of
Oberlin Public Schools includes 30 sports and emphasizes academics among its participants.
Oberlin College, founded in 1833, is an
independent coeducational institution. It
comprises two divisions, the College of Arts
and Sciences, with about 2,600 students, and
the Conservatory of Music, with about 500
enrolled. Oberlin offers bachelor of arts
and bachelor of music degree programs, as
well as a combined five-year program leading
to both degrees. Selected master's degree
programs are offered in both in the
Conservatory.
Oberlin's size,
residential character, diversity and
selectivity provide an atmosphere
highly conducive to intellectual and
personal growth. Its faculty of
teacher-scholars has traditionally
emphasized both academic achievement
and individual development. Oberlin
students participate in a wide
variety of extracurricular
activities on the campus.
Oberlin College is highly
selective and dedicated to
recruiting students from diverse
backgrounds. Oberlin was the first
truly coeducational college in the
United States, as well as an early
leader in educating black students.
Oberlin College is accredited by
the North Central Association of
College and Secondary Schools, the
National Association of Schools of
Music, and the National Association
of Schools of Art and Design.
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Healthcare Facilities
 Oberlin is fortunate to have a
wide range of health services in the city and additional resources in the
Lorain County region. The
Allen Medical Center,
an affiliate of Community Health Partners, has served the community since 1904.
It is a 25-bed Critical Access Hospital
offering subacute care, surgical services,
rehabilitation, diagnostic services, and
state-of-the-art emergency services.
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