Old Wilberforce University Campus at Tawawa Springs

Old Wilberforce University Campus at Tawawa Springs (HM94R)

Location: Xenia, OH 45385 Greene County
Buy Ohio State flags at Flagstore.com!
Country: United States of America
Buy United States of America flags at Flagstore.com!

N 39° 43.01', W 83° 52.934'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 1405 views
Inscription
Side A:
In the early 1800s, William and Eleanor Kendall owned this land, known for its natural springs, beauty, and farmland. In 1850, Elias Drake, lawyer and former speaker in the Ohio General Assembly, purchased the property and named it Tawawa or Xenia Springs. He developed a health resort hotel surrounded by summer cottages, all of which were completed the following year. "Tawawa" is believed to be Shawnee for "clear or gold water," alluding to the clear, mineral-rich springs. From its beginnings, the resort did not fare well as it was popular among southern planters who, much to the consternation of nearby antislavery sentiment, brought slave entourages whenever they came. In October 1855, negotiations for its sale opened with the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, which purchased Tawawa Springs, including 54 acres and the hotel and cottages, for $13,000 to establish a university for African Americans.
(Continued on other side)

Side B:
(Continued from other side)
Wilberforce University, the nation's oldest private historically African American institution of higher education, was founded at Tawawa Springs in 1856. Tawawa House, the resort's hotel, was remodeled for recitation rooms and other school activities, and the cottages were utilized as dormitories. Several reasons have been suggested for choosing Tawawa Springs as the site for Wilberforce University. Foremost, perhaps, is the large number of African Americans that settled in Greene County as the result of the migration patterns of freed slaves before the Civil War and the Underground Railroad, which passed through the area. It is also suggested that Tawawa's natural beauty and readily available structures enhanced the selection. With the Civil War causing a decline in student enrollment, the first university failed in 1862. The following year Bishop Daniel A. Payne purchased the property on behalf of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Payne became the first president of Wilberforce and the first African American to lead a university.
Details
HM NumberHM94R
Series This marker is part of the Ohio: Ohio Historical Society series
Tags
Marker Number8-29
Year Placed2002
Placed ByThe Ohio Bicentennial Commission, The Longaberger Company, Central State University, and The Ohio Historical Society
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Thursday, September 11th, 2014 at 6:30pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17S E 252940 N 4400301
Decimal Degrees39.71683333, -83.88223333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 39° 43.01', W 83° 52.934'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds39° 43' 0.60" N, 83° 52' 56.04" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Area Code(s)937
Closest Postal AddressAt or near 1301-1389 Brush Row Rd, Xenia OH 45385, US
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. What historical period does the marker represent?
  2. What historical place does the marker represent?
  3. What type of marker is it?
  4. What class is the marker?
  5. What style is the marker?
  6. This marker needs at least one picture.
  7. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  8. Is the marker in the median?