Berea

Berea College’s spiritual motto, “God has made of one blood all peoples of the earth,” has shaped the institution’s unique culture and programs since its founding in 1855. Founder John G. Fee, an ardent abolitionist, held fast to the radical vision of a college and a community committed to interracial education, to the Appalachian region, and to the equality of women and men hailing from all “nations and climes.” A significant distinction in the Berea mission is that rather than following the typical tuition-based model, the college developed a tuition-free work program so that its students could take advantage of a private liberal arts education otherwise unaffordable to them. Using primary sources, recent scholarship, and powerful photographs, Shannon H. Wilson charts the fascinating history and development of one of Kentucky’s most distinguished institutions of higher learning.

Talks about the program which recaptured and surpassed its former glory while continuing to graduate outstanding citizens. This book also presents an inside look at NAIA Hall of Fame coach Roland Wierwille and the men he led and influenced.

In 1853, emancipationist Cassius M. Clay gave a portion of his land holdings in central Kentucky to Rev. John G. Fee. Together they had a vision of building a community for all people of the earth, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or class. Berea College was founded in 1855 with the same principles in mind, becoming the first interracial and coeducational college in the South. By the 1920s, Berea was a popular stopping point for travelers driving the Dixie Highway, highlighted by the Boone Tavern, which opened in 1909. Images of America: Berea takes readers on a pictorial journey of Berea's history, the growth of the college, and the flourishing artisan community with more than 200 images selected from the extensive Berea College Archives, private collections, and other sources.

After the Civil War, black families were invited to Berea by white abolitionist Rev. John G. Fee to develop an interracial school and church. From 1866 to 1904, residents' lives revolved around Berea College, which educated black and white students together from primary school through college. In 1904, the Day Law prohibited interracial education. College trustees retained white students while funding blacks to attend allblack colleges elsewhere. From 1904 to 1950, when the Day Law was amended, many residents upheld racial equality principles.

Quarrying was a major industry from roughly 1850 to 1950 in Berea, attracting large numbers of immigrants in search of work. Baldwin Institute and University (1846) and German Wallace College (1863) created an academic atmosphere, and Berea's citizens became an eclectic and resilient mix of academics, business people, and immigrants. Eventually, quarrying ended, and the downtown business district, the Triangle, was nearly destroyed by fire three times. Each time the determined residents of Berea rebuilt. Today, Berea is a unique Cleveland suburb. Baldwin University and German Wallace College merged, and the south side of town has been devoted to recreation by the Cleveland Metroparks System and the City of Berea. The largest quarry became Coe Lake, a site for fishing, canoeing, art fairs, concerts, and ice-skating. Coffee shops, boutiques, and art galleries now thrive in old livery stables, icehouses, and hardware stores. Many of the grand homes of the 19th century still stand, proudly boasting their bronze "Century Home" plaques.