Oberlin, Ohio, is featured in a book titled The Town that Started the Civil War by historian Nat Brandt, and its history is steeped in rebellion, political drama, and the fight for equality. It’s home to about 8500 people, about 3000 of whom are students. About half an hour from Cleveland, it is now a quaint liberal college town with a vibrant young community. Oberlin’s history makes it one of the most important and unique towns in the United States and the world, and its presence makes it somewhere you’ll want to visit every weekend. When it comes to small towns near Cleveland, this one holds a special place in our hearts!
Oberlin’s History Still Shapes the Town Today
Oberlin is about 40 miles from Cleveland, making it an easy-to-get-to destination. But before your visit, you’ll want to take a moment to appreciate this town’s history. Oberlin was a unique town from the very beginning, and prior to abolition, it was a safe haven for escaped or freed slaves. In September 1858, an African-American man named James Price was kidnapped and arrested by US Marshals for violating the Federal Fugitive Slave Law. Having escaped slavery in Kentucky, Price had been living freely in Oberlin for two years when an accomplice of his former owner found him and alerted the authorities. The townspeople of Oberlin were outraged at this violation of Price’s rights and plotted to free him. The rescue mission furthered the Abolitionist movement in Ohio and outraged anti-abolitionists elsewhere.
Some accounts claim that over 600 people gathered to pressure the authorities to release him. When attempts to free Price through the legal system failed, about thirty people (pictured above) rushed to the building in which he was being held and snuck him out through a window. He was spirited back to Oberlin, where he was harbored by a future president of Oberlin College, before escaping to Canada. These men, known as “The Rescuers,” became local celebrities. Those released from prison were welcomed back to Oberlin with fanfare. It is this event that is credited with making Oberlin “the town that started the Civil War”.
Why Oberlin Might Be the Most Unique Town Near Cleveland
Oberlin and Oberlin College are the home of many long-standing traditions. The first Illumination in Oberlin was a celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s election in November 1860. A series of lanterns were lit across the town. As an abolitionist town with a large black population, Lincoln’s election was a huge victory. It became a college tradition in 1903, and now occurs annually during Commencement, with tens of thousands of lanterns lighting the campus and surroundings.
Today, Oberlin is a beautiful town to explore. It’s considered one of the best small towns near Cleveland with good reason! Restored heritage buildings and state-of-the-art facilities define downtown. It’s a perfect stop on the way to Cedar Point, but there is so much here that it’s worth a day trip (or several) on its own.
What To Do When You Visit Oberlin
Perhaps the best thing about a college town is college students’ appetites, which translates to an unusually diverse array of good, reasonably-priced food for a small Midwestern town. The Feve is a favorite of both locals and those in the know who are passing through. Their brunches are famous – delicious and affordable.
Ready for a pick-me-up? It’s well known that college students require a regular caffeine hit, so there are plenty of places to bunker down with a book or laptop and sip delicious coffee. The Local Coffee & Tea and Slow Train Cafe both have the best coffee in town. The Local is a hole-in-the-wall basement cafe, and it slays the latte competition. Slow Train Cafe has a bit more room to move (or, rather, to not move for several hours). Try the lavender scones with your mocha, or have a drink from their well-stocked bar. They’re owned by the same people, so you know the quality is top-notch…