Baldwin Institute

The history of Baldwin Wallace University dates back to 1828, when co-founder John Baldwin settled in present-day Berea, Ohio. His founding eventually established Baldwin–Wallace College. This founding of present-day Baldwin Wallace University began when Baldwin Institute was established in 1845. With the help of James Wallace, Baldwin Institute began offering college courses. Eventually, in 1863, a resolution established a separate school from Baldwin University to serve the booming local German population called German Wallace College. Originally part of Baldwin Institute, German Wallace College was established just down the road. As a result of financial hardships the schools merged in 1913, forming Baldwin-Wallace College. In 2010, several buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places combining the former Lyceum Village Square and German Wallace College to form the BW South Campus Historic District. In 2012, Baldwin-Wallace College became Baldwin Wallace University and established the BW North Campus Historic District.The Conservatory is home to the Baldwin-Wallace Bach Festival, the oldest collegiate Bach Festival and the second-oldest Bach festival in the United States honoring Johann Sebastian Bach.

Both the university and the town of Berea, Ohio were founded by Methodist settlers from Connecticut. Those settlers moved west after their homes were burned by the British in the Revolutionary War. The region in Northern Ohio became known as the Western Reserve (a part of which was designated the Firelands, as the state of Connecticut gave land grants to these fire victims). Among early settlers of this area was John Baldwin. The founding of Baldwin Wallace University began with the founding of Baldwin University.

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