Carpenter's Shop

Date

1835- ?

Location

West College Street near the corner of Main Street (demolished?)

Architects/Collaborators

Builder unknown

History

The second building to be built at Oberlin was the Carpenter’s Shop, erected in the autumn of 1835, west of the former Oberlin Hall on West College Street near the corner at Main Street. It was a two-story frame building, painted red, in accordance with the early vote of the colonists that all buildings should be painted in that color on account of durability. The Shop offered a place where students who had some mechanical skill could work in satisfaction of the requirement that all students should perform fours hours of labor daily. Upon the great accession of students in 1835, the carpenters’ benches were removed, and rough board partitions were erected, providing two lecture rooms and some dormitory accommodations for students. In 1836 the Carpenter’s Shop was moved to the south end of the first boarding hall for women. In 1883, the shop was still in existence, located in Carpenter's Court near Main Street. It was later destroyed by fire.

Source

Oberlin College Archives, Office of the Secretary Records.