Historic Berea Kentucky Walking Tour

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Churchill Weavers was established in Berea, Kentucky in 1922 by David and Eleanor Churchill. The business, which was located along Churchill Court, was a weaving service which employed around 150 weavers, including Eleanor who was in charge of fabric design, and produced products ranging from blankets and throws to purses and clothing. The company garnered national acclaim and operated under the Churchills until 1973 following David's death, after which Eleanor sold the company to another couple. The company closed its doors for good in 2007, after which it was made in a museum of the company's works and eventually recognized by the National Register of Historical Places.

2. Sunshine Ballard Cottage at Berea Cottage

The Sunshine Ballard Cottage was constructed in 1921 on the campus of Berea College in Berea, Kentucky. The cottage was built in honor of the eponymous Sunshine Harris Ballard, wife of a Kentucky Politician, who, together with her husband, donated a sum of money to the college. A portion of these funds were used to construct the cottage, which was opened to students as a weaving studio. As a Work College, students at Berea are promised free tuition on the condition that they work ten hours per week, with the weaving studio becoming the school's first craft-based work opportunity for students. Today, the cottage provides students with the opportunity to create items such as rugs and blankets, and is a popular tourist attraction for the area.

3. Union Church

Union Church was established in 1853 by Reverend John G. Fee, the founder of Berea College, on land granted by the abolitionist Cassius M. Clay. The original meetinghouse was located in a grove of trees north of town. With the help of local supporters and other missionaries from the American Missionary Association, Fee's church grew and supported the radical vision of an interracial community. Berea College recruited Black students and Union Church welcomed them into their congregation.

4. Historic Boone Tavern

Constructed in 1909 to accommodate the growing number of guests that visited Berea College, this hotel has become one of the most important institutions in the community and a symbol of the college itself. Nellie Frost suggested the idea of the hotel to her husband, William G. Frost, who was president of the institution at that time. Since then, the hotel accompanied many prominent individuals such as Maya Angelou, Robert Frost, President Coolidge and his wife, and Henry Ford. Today, the hotel is a popular stop for tourists, and provides job opportunities for its students.

5. Lincoln Hall, Berea College

Lincoln Hall was built in 1887 on the campus of Berea College, the first biracial college in the South. Today, it holds many of Berea's administrative offices. After part of the building collapsed in 2001, Lincoln Hall was part of a $5 million renovation that included many "green" energy technologies. Shortly after the building was reopened, it became the first building in Kentucky to be awarded the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification

6. Doris Ulmann Galleries at Berea College

The Berea College Art Collection was established in 1935 as a teaching collection with the purpose of providing Berea College students with the best examples of art and artifacts from around the world. Currently, the art collection is made up of more than 14,000 works of art and artifacts of cultural significance and is known for its high quality. It is located in the Rogers-Traylor building, on the corner of Ellipse Street and Chestnut Street in Berea, KY. Doris Ulmann Galleries is a reciprocal membership museum through the NARM Association (National American Reciprocal Museum Association)

7. Draper Hall, Berea College

Completed in 1938 and named in honor of Helen Draper Ayer, this Berea campus building is home to classrooms and numerous academic programs in language, philosophy, and religion. The building features a bell tower that features a 56-bell carillon that has become one of the symbols of the campus. Among Draper's notable charitable donations was the establishment of a fund that makes it possible for a number of students from Appalachia to attend Berea without the expense of tuition.

8. Danforth Chapel at Berea College

Danforth Chapel at Berea College was constructed in 1938 to provide a place of worship for students and faculty. The chapel was funded by the Danforth Foundation as part of its Danforth Chapel Program that offered support for the construction of chapels in higher learning institutions nationwide. The chapel was modeled after architectural designs from the English Gothic period and consists of 54 bricks taken from historically and spiritually significant locations worldwide. Today, the chapel is part of Berea College's Campus Christian Center and regularly hosts weddings and religious events.

9. Ecovillage at Berea College

Ecovillage at Berea College was opened in 2005 by school officials. Located along Washington Avenue, Ecovillage is a housing complex which provides homes for students of the college who have children. Ecovillage was born not just out of a need to provide housing to students and their children, but also the school's desire to establish a sustainable living community. Today, those who live in the community grow their own crops, make their own cleaning products, and reduce energy and water usage through the use of solar panels and irrigation systems. In order to help the families who live within the community, the college also offers a daycare and learning center for children located within the community.

10. Berea L&N Passenger Depot and Welcome Center

The Louisville and Nashville Railway Company came to Berea in 1891 following many years of efforts by residents to connect their community to the nation's rail network. This passenger depot was constructed in 1905 and replaced the original depot which had been built in 1891. This structure was built in only four weeks and served the community until 1969 when passenger service ended. The building sat empty for many years and many feared that it would be demolished, but local citizens and preservationists worked with the city to acquire and restore the building in 1979. The Berea Welcome Center opened in 1987 and was the result of a decade of effort from local residents to preserve this historic railroad depot.

11. Berea Urban Farm

The Berea Urban Farm is a 1.4 acre farm located along Adams Street in Berea, Kentucky. The farm was developed and established by the Sustainable Berea group in 2015 in an effort to combat fears that climate change would lead to a food shortage. The farm produces fruits, vegetables, honey, dairy products, and meat. The goods produced by the farm are sold to local businesses, allowing them to be self-sustainable.

This Tour is a Walking Tour.

Historic Berea Kentucky Walking Tour

Created by Miranda Smith on July 18th 2019, 4:21:07 pm.

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Berea is best-known for Berea College and a thriving arts and crafts community. Berea was the first integrated college in the South and remained so until 1904 when segregationists in the state legislature passed the Day Law which made integration a crime. Berea became integrated once again in 1950 when the law was amended. Today, Berea is also known for the arts and has earned the title of "Crafting Capital of Kentucky." This emphasis on the arts is apparent in the downtown area. The town is the fastest growing community in the state of Kentucky, Several buildings on the college's campus are also featured. The tour concludes at the former location of Churchill Weavers, a local weaving company that gained national renown in the 20th century. Visitors to the area should also stop by the Kentucky Artisan Center just north of the downtown area.

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Historic Berea Kentucky Walking Tour

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