Campus News

Where Am I?

June 16, 2020

Yvonne Gay

An open glass door. — Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

Were you able to guess where this first photo was taken? Here’s a hint: The building was designed by Patton and Miller and opened in 1908. It not only houses lots of books, but also welcomes authors, musicians, and social gatherings.

Before clicking on the answer key, continue testing your detective skills by naming the buildings behind the doors below.

gallery of doors

Photo Gallery

Answers

Down wooden downs made with strips of wood and embellished with hammered metal.

Eight panel door with square nail heads.

A door with a large glass window and two sidelights

A set of large doors. — Door 6: Johnson House (Hebrew Heritage House). Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

Double wooden heavy doors with round metal handles. — Door 7: Bosworth Hall. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

Double wooden doors with glass squares surrounding large glass panes — Door 8: Baldwin Cottage. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A set of slender wooden doors surrounded by tall insets of glass — Door 9: Talcott Hall Photo credit: Yvone Gay

Slender tall double doors with eight panels. — Door 10: Allen Memorial Art Museum Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A large chapel with a round window and bell tower — Finney Chapel was built on the site of Oberlin College President Charles Finney’s former home. It was dedicated on June 21, 1908, and is the largest performance space on campus. Finney is one of four buildings on campus designed by architect Cass Gilbert. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A pulling with flowers in front — Cox Administration Building was designed by Cass Gilbert. It was named in memory of Jacob Dolson Cox, an Oberlin graduate, Union army general, and Ohio politician. The building houses the Office of the President, the Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the Office of the General Counsel and Secretary, and the Office of the Vice President for Finance. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A large building with wide stone steps. — Severance Hall, formerly Severance Chemical Laboratory was the gift of Louis H. Severance, founding member of Standard Oil Trust. The cornerstone was laid on May 31, 1900. The building houses the offices, classrooms, and laboratories of the college's psychology department. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A square brick home with wooden porch and swing. — Allencroft was built in 1861 by Ralph Plumb, a hero of the Oberlin-Wellington Rescue, and was occupied by Dr. Dudley Allen. The property was given to the college in 1899 and served as a dormitory. Currently, the building serves as Russian House, one of the college’s language-based Program Houses. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A Victorian style home with wooden porch and stone steps — Johnson House (Hebrew Heritage House) or J-House, as it is affectionately called, was owned by Albert H. Johnson and his family in 1885. The home, and the 25 acres of land surrounding it, were purchased by Charles Martin Hall in 1911 and presented to the college. It is the only residence hall on campus designated solely for Jewish students. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A long building with a bell tower in the center. — Bosworth Hall was designed by Cass Gilbert and his son and opened in 1931. It was built for the college’s Graduate School of Theology. It currently houses the college’s Office of Advancement and Fairchild Chapel. Photo credit: Dale Preston '83

A brick home with a brick porch and rounded column on the side. — Baldwin Cottage, was constructed soon after the 1886 fire that destroyed the Second Ladies Hall. It was named for Elbert Baldwin, a Cleveland dry goods merchant who gifted $20,000 to the college. It currently serves as the home of the Women and Trans* Collective and the Third World Co-op. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A brick building with brick porch. — Talcott was the site of the Second Ladies Hall, a three-story brick dormitory of Italianate design built during the Civil War. Today, Talcott houses 80 students of any gender, who upon request can live together in the rooms. On the first floor of Talcott is the Kosher Halal Co-op, which observes Jewish and Islamic dietary needs.
Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

A stone brick ornate building with arched openings and stone steps. — The Allen Memorial Art Museum is a gift from the estate of Oberlin physician and 1875 Oberlin College graduate Dr. Dudley Allen. It was designed by architect Cass Gilbert. After undergoing a two-year renovation, the museum was awarded LEED gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council in 2011. Photo credit: Yvonne Gay

Oberlin Honors a Pioneering Alum with Feb. 13 Dedication

February 6, 2026

John Mercer Langston graduated in 1849 and broke color barriers throughout his career in law, politics, and education.

Woodland Hall Welcomes First Residents in Fall 2025

January 6, 2026

Sustainably designed building houses 402 students in suite-style living, with convenient access to Oberlin's athletics complex and the Science Center.

exterior of Woodland Hall on a sunny autumn day.

This Week in Photos: The Faces of Bosworth Hall

September 17, 2021

A leisurely walk under a breezeway that connects Asia House to Bosworth Hall serves as inspiration for this week’s photo series.

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Oberlin Honors a Pioneering Alum with Feb. 13 Dedication

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