Tappan Square

Tappan Square (Feb 2004)

One of the nicest spots on campus (especially in the autumn) is Tappan Square. Tappan Square is bordered on the North by West Lorain Street, on the South by West College Street, on the West by North Professor Street and on the East by North Main Street.

Many events are held here, including bonfires, many rallies and vigils, as well as commencement. Major attractions are the painted boulders, aka The Rock, and the Albino Squirrel.

Tappan Square is love. --68.63.117.129 14:00, 27 Aug 2005 (CDT)

[edit] History

According to the Ohio Historic Inventory [1]:

Legend holds this 13-acre square was the site where the town of Oberlin was first founded in 1833. According to the story, John J. Shipherd and Philo P. Stewart stopped at an elm tree in the southeast corner of the square, prayed, and decided that this was the place to found their community of God's followers. A creek flowed across the square and Oberlin's first settler, Peter Pindar Pease built his cabin near the elm and the creek. The Historic Elm remained on the square until disease forced its removal in 1965. Though the square was, and still is, referred to as "the campus" and several college buildings were built on the square, college buildings also were built off the square from the earliest days. ... In the early 20th century Oberlin College graduate and founder of ALCOA Aluminum, Charles Martin Hall, through a gift in his will, dictated the removal of all buildings from the Square. ... In 1927 Spear Library was the last building to be removed. ... Tappan Square was listed as a National Historic Landmark in 1966.