Cabinet Hall

Date

1851-1874 (public school); 1874-1901 (college)

Location

North Professor Street between West College and Lorain Streets (demolished)

Architects/Collaborators

Builder unknown

Style

Georgian

History

Cabinet Hall was constructed by the village of Oberlin in 1851 for public school purposes. It was located north of the Mahan-Morgan House, and south of the location now occupied by Peters Hall. It was purchased by the College in 1874. It afforded six recitation rooms and a large room on the third floor for the Natural History collection. Beginning in the 18th century, collections of natural history specimens and curiosities were called "cabinets," hence the name "Cabinet Hall." In 1878 the lower floor was assigned to the department of Chemistry, providing a lecture room, a working laboratory for students, and a special laboratory for the professor of Chemistry. In 1886 the northwest corner was taken down (this photograph was taken before that). The entire building was torn down in 1901, upon the completion of Severance Chemical Laboratory.

Source

Oberlin College Archives, Office of the Secretary Records.