Oberlin Heritage Center

09/09/2026

In celebration of America 250, OHC is selling Kast Iron Soda Works (based out of Salem, OH) Root Beer and Vanilla Cola that has a commemorative artistic America 250–Ohio label design. You can purchase yours ($3 per bottle) starting today at OHC's Monroe House through Root Beer and Yesteryear while supplies last (limit 2 bottles per purchase)*. These sodas will also be for sale at Root Beer & Yesteryear Saturday, September 26 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Also stop by for:
- Free Root beer floats and popcorn
- A behind-the-scenes open house of Oberlin's historic post office building
- A display of historical images of Oberlin in the Monroe House
- Old-fashioned yard games
- Traditional Irish music provided by Francis Quinn, Billy Chambers, and Patrick Custy

Demonstrations/Tables:
Lorain County Spinners and Weavers Guild
Lorain County Beekeepers Association
Lorain County Engine Club
City Fresh

Refreshing root beer and ice cream for the free floats will be generously provided by Oberlin Drug Mart. Thank you also to the Oberlin Athletic Boosters Club for their popcorn machine.

09/08/2026

Oberlin Mascots
Sports teams associated with learning institutions have long held both names and related mascots. Oberlin College (OC) and Oberlin High School (OHS) share this tradition, but how did the names and mascots come to be? The answers may surprise you!

Oberlin College’s mascot and name is currently the “Yeomen/Yeowomen,” which references an English social class of free farmers. The name “Yeomen” was established as the official name and mascot of the college’s intercollegiate teams in 1926 after a contest in the Oberlin Review. However, that name has nothing to do with free farmers. Rather, the name “Yeomen” is a dehyphenating of the term “Ye-O-Men,” an older name for OC’s athletics teams, particularly the football team. “Ye-O-Men” itself came from “O-Men,” named after the varsity letter “O” that athletics team members received. In 1947, there was brief effort to move from the name “Yeomen” and rename OC’s teams the “Crimson Knights.” This effort was short lived, as students felt that “Yeomen” was not only an historic name, but represented Oberlin in a better manner. When the college began the women’s athletics program in 1973, the name “Yeowomen” became the obvious choice for women’s teams. About forty years later, in 2014, the college introduced a white squirrel mascot modeled after the beloved animal that has frequented the campus for many years. Five years after the squirrel mascot was introduced, Oberlin College debuted a physical mascot, Yeobie the Squirrel, in 2019.

Many know that the first mascot and name associated with Oberlin High School was the “Indians,” first referenced as the “Oberlin Indians” in 1915. The “Indians” mascot first appeared in the OHS yearbook, O-High, in 1930, and remained the official OHS mascot for many decades. In 2006, after years of debate and activism in the community calling for a change, it was announced that the old “Oberlin Indians” name would be retired and a search began for a new name/mascot. In 2007, the name “Phoenix” was chosen after input from current students and alumni. Twelve years later, in 2019, a physical phoenix mascot character named Ferno made its debut, representing the school.

09/05/2026

Join FAVA for their annual Art Fair in the Square (sponsored by the City of Oberlin) in Oberlin’s beautiful historic Tappan Square on Saturday, September 12th from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., rain or shine! Last year over 90 artists were featured, plus musical entertainment, food trucks, and more!

Once again, the Oberlin Heritage Center will have an information table at this lively community event.

More info:

September 12, 2026Tappan Square, Oberlin, OH Artist Booths: 10am - 4pmMusic: All Day: 10am - 4pm Download Art Fair Map View fullsize View fullsize 2026 Artists & Makers FAVA’s Art Fair in the Square includes artists and makers of all ages and skill levels: children, students, and professional. In ...

09/04/2026

John W. Heisman is regarded as one of football's most notable influencers. He encouraged the legalization of the forward pass, created the direct center snap, and advocated splitting the game into four quarters, among other innovations to the sport. He also helped to lead Oberlin College’s football team to relevance during the 1890s. In the fall of 1892, John Heisman arrived in Oberlin to coach the football team, then in its second year as an official unit. It is unknown what exactly drew Heisman to the Oberlin coaching job, but evidence suggests that he wanted the chance to experiment with his ideas for the game.

When Heisman began his coaching career at Oberlin, he was twenty-two years old, meaning he was younger than some of the players on the team. Even so, he gained the team’s respect. Heisman came to the Oberlin College football team as it was finding its footing, and the authoritarian, no-nonsense attitude he held would mold the team into something it hadn’t been before.

That inaugural 1892 season, Oberlin football was at the cutting edge of the sport thanks to their new coach. With a new training regimen and a new playbook, the men of Oberlin would shock their opponents. The team played seven games that fall, winning every single one, with the following scores: Oberlin 40, Ohio State 0; Oberlin 38, Adelbert 8; Oberlin 56, Ohio Wesleyan 0; Oberlin 50, Ohio State 0 (Ohio State does not acknowledge having played this game); Oberlin 38, Kenyon 0; Oberlin 16, Adelbert 0; and Oberlin 24, Michigan 22 (Michigan claims it won this game). John Heisman and the varsity football team became the toast of the College.

Heisman only coached two games during the following 1893 season, as he had already accepted a job coaching Buchtel College’s team in Akron. The Crimson and Gold would go 6-1, their only loss against Case. In 1894, Heisman returned as coach for the season. That fall, the team faced stiffer opposition and ended the season with a 4-3-1 record. John Heisman left to coach elsewhere at season’s end, yet the memories of his impact during those years still live in Oberlin.


Photo: The 1892 Varsity Football Team, courtesy Oberlin College Archives

09/02/2026

Come for a unique, free experience in celebration of Ohio Open Doors next Saturday!

Guests are welcome to enjoy the Jewett House (73 S. Professor St., Oberlin, OH) during our Open House from 4:00-4:45pm and hear about life in the Progressive Era from a costumed interpreter portraying Sarah Frances “Fanny” Gulick Jewett. Learn about the people who lived in the Jewett House, what life in Oberlin was like in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, and how Charles Martin Hall’s aluminum reduction process transformed how the material would be used in industry, technology, and everyday life.

Starting promptly at 5pm, the lights will be turned down for a Magic Lantern Show by Oberlin College Libraries’ Visual Resources Collection Curator, Heath Patten. Magic lanterns were early projectors that delighted audiences with illustrated news, stories, and trips around the world.

No reservations are required for the Open House but ARE REQUIRED for the Magic Lantern Show as seats are limited. Show length will be approximately 20 minutes. Both experiences are free. If we run out of space in the registration module, contact us at [email protected] about waitlist possibilities. Reservation link is in the comments.

09/01/2026

This Month, in line with America 250-Ohio’s statewide theme “Ohio Plays: Sports & Wellness,” OHC will be highlighting some of Oberlin's fascinating figures in sports history. Watch here for updates!

Photo: a 1930 Oberlin College football game from the Locke Collection

08/20/2026

Root Beer and Yesteryear is a free, family-friendly event in Oberlin that occurs in the month of September (9/26 this year!) and is organized by the Oberlin Heritage Center (OHC). This event started around the late 2010s, meaning it is a fairly new event in Oberlin, but still a fun way to honor the past. Root Beer and Yesteryear features live music, fun historical related activities, general entertainment and free root beer floats and popcorn. There are also fun games and tours of the buildings OHC owns, such as the Monroe House and the Little Red Schoolhouse.

Oberlin’s historical commitment to Christian Perfectionism and moral attitudes towards drinking meant that for much of its history it was a dry town where alcohol was outlawed. In a replacement for alcoholic beverages, an Oberlin College chemistry professor who lived in Oberlin named Frank Fanning Jewett brewed up a friendly alternative, which was root beer. The soft drink became a treat that the people of Oberlin enjoyed, and although times have changed now and alcohol is allowed to be consumed in Oberlin today, Oberlinians still enjoy the fun treat of root beer. To keep up this tradition and to maintain Oberlin’s history, root beer is served at this event as a reminder of Oberlin’s dry past. Rain or shine, Root Beer and Yesteryear still happens every September on the grounds of OHC.

Photos: Root Beer & Yesteryear 2025

08/19/2026

Event Volunteers Needed!
Have fun, meet new people! OHC is participating in several community events this fall and we would love to have your help.

September 12 - Art Fair in the Square
OHC will have a table in “Community Resource Alley” at this fun event coordinated by FAVA. We would love to have people volunteer as greeters at our information table. Volunteer slots are 2 hours each, between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.

September 26 - Root Beer and Yesteryear
If you couldn’t tell from the event description above, there will be a lot of fun activities happening at OHC on Saturday 9/26! Here are some things you can help with: Washing chairs before the event, tent and table set-up, monitoring indoor and/or outdoor activities, table greeter, serving popcorn or rootbeer floats, and take down. Volunteer times vary by activity.

To volunteer for either event, please contact [email protected] or call 440-774-1700

08/18/2026

The Oberlin Sewerfest of 1989 was hosted on the 21st and 22nd of July, 1989, and was organized as a one-time event. It was a 2-day festival established as a way to laugh and make light of the summer long construction on the downtown sewer system. While the construction of the sewers was ongoing, the barricades rerouted traffic and access to the businesses downtown was challenging. This made it difficult for the residents of Oberlin to get around, and many of the people who drove through the construction zones had their cars badly damaged. At Sewerfest, there was a lively parade in which the residents jokingly protested against city hall's plumbing projects. There were other events too, such as a crafts fair, and tours were offered at Oberlin’s historic homes, including the Monroe House and Little Red Schoolhouse. Street dances were hosted in the evenings. Organizers even hosted an essay contest where the theme was to recall participants’ worst experiences with the construction.

Through this trying time, the people of Oberlin found a way to have fun, look back, and laugh at the misery through the establishment of Sewerfest 1989. Instead of sulking, Oberlinians chose to celebrate the finishing of the sewer construction with a fun festival.