Campus News
This Week in Photos: The Many Looks of Charles Martin Hall
January 21, 2021
Yvonne Gay
The Charles Martin Hall statue on the second floor of the Science Center.
Photo credit: Gary Cohen '11
A tall aluminum statue on the second floor of the Science Center receives a lot of attention—it is traditionally dressed and decorated by students, staff, and faculty for holidays and special occasions. Valentine’s Day was the inspiration for a debonair top hat, tie, and flowers.
Charles Martin Hall, an 1885 Oberlin College graduate, unlocked a commercially viable process for extracting aluminum metal from ore under the guidance of Oberlin chemistry Professor Frank Jewett. Hall set up his laboratory outside his family’s home in an attached woodshed in Oberlin. On February 23, 1886, his experiments paid off.
In this week’s photo series we visit the statue that honors this Oberlin pioneer and the enduring looks it has worn.
See more of Hall's looks over the years on the Oberlin Flickr page.
You may also like…
Oberlin Community Remembers a Beloved Retired Professor
A member of Oberlin faculty for 13 years, Peggy Bennett was known by students and the Oberlin community for creating and leading MusicPlay, a preschool classroom and learning lab run as part of the...
Eric Rooks Named Director of Campus Safety at Oberlin
Longtime public servant emphasizes collaborative partnerships and kindness.
New School Year Brings New Locations for Campus Offices, Departments
Renovations to historic buildings and arrival of brand-new spaces energize campus heading into fall.
