The Berea Historical Society (BHS) was founded in 1959. It is a precious cornerstone of Berea because they make Berea’s history fun and accessible to the community. They offer a wide variety of services, including tours of the museum and exhibits, events featuring guest speakers, social gatherings, a research facility, and much more.
For the first 20 years, the BHS operated out of members’ homes and the Berea Public Library. Then in 1979, Grindstone Award Winner, Otto Mahler offered a generous donation to the BHS. This enabled them to move their headquarters to its current location and open a museum, which they named the Mahler Museum in his honor. It is located on East Bridge Street in Berea in a building erected in 1854, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, it is furnished and decorated as it might have been when it functioned as a residential home, and at times you might even feel as if you’ve stepped back into the late Victorian era.
During a tour of the many rooms of the house, Administrative Assistant, Nancy Gillahan pointed out many interesting items and nuances of the building. For example, in the kitchen that was added in 1910, there is a cute little table-top grindstone that was once used for sharpening knives. There is also a display of various types of pitchers from Wilda Koeppe’s collection, totaling an impressive 1600 pitchers throughout the museum. In one room, Gillahan ran her fingers over a section of a sandstone wall, drawing attention to the rough and jagged bricks. “And one of my favorite things to point out to people is how this wall appears unfinished.” She explains that it had not been “finished” simply because it’s an interior wall. In contrast, the sandstone bricks of the exterior walls of the building had been sanded down to produce a smoother, more even appearance because it was subject to public view.
Furthermore, there are displays and exhibits that are reminders of old Berea and its businesses. For example, two lion statues (named Fred and Rosie) once adorned the rooftop of a building located on the Triangle. When that building was razed in the 1970’s due to Urban Renewal, the BHS acquired the lions. They now proudly stand guard at the front door of the Mahler Museum. Another building that is no longer part of the Triangle’s landscape due to Urban Renewal was known as Gray’s Candy Kitchen. It was a popular business for 65 years, and at one time it was even owned by none other than Otto Mahler himself. BHS has dedicated a space in their History Center to Gray’s Candy Kitchen and its original equipment, including the popcorn machine, soda fountain, and the old price sign. There are also two beautiful stained-glass windows from the old Methodist Orphanage (now the Kohler Hall area) where Mahler resided for 17 years of his life. And among the many permanent exhibits the BHS has to offer, of course there is also an exhibit dedicated to Berea’s sandstone quarries.
Even for those who have already visited the Berea Historical Society and the Mahler Museum, there are always new reasons to return. The BHS organizes new and ever-changing exhibits in the large room of the History Center. The next theme begins on May 15th 2022 and is titled “Rails Through Berea.” Also scheduled throughout the year are guest speakers on various topics, author visits, social events such as ice cream and tea parties, and much more. The next special event is the 3-Day Attic Sale, which begins on April 28th 2022. Gillahan describes the sale as “items from Grandma’s attic.” Furthermore, if you need a space for a meeting or a special event of your own, you can reserve the large meeting room. There is also an adjacent kitchen in case your event happens to be a luncheon.
The BHS also encourages the public to utilize its Resource Center, which is a treasure trove of information, photos, city records, and so forth. This is a great place to conduct your historical or genealogical research for classroom or student projects, or simply to satiate a personal curiosity.
Though the Mahler Museum and History Center is open to the public, you can also become a member of the BHS. Membership includes a subscription to The Enterprise, which is a quarterly publication that received an award from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies and Museums.
The Berea Historical Society invites you to discover, explore, and enjoy all of its events and resources. Gillahan says, “The best part of working here is all the people I work with and our wonderful patrons that come to visit us.”
To become or continue to be one of those “wonderful patrons,” you can find more information and a full schedule of events at, www.bereahistoricalsociety.org or call 440-243-2541.
