“It is my belief that it is people who make the difference. When thinking about [Berea], one must start with John Baldwin (1799–1884) and his good wife Mary whose pioneering spirit, dedication to the teachings of the Bible, and fervor for education, created the vision for a community and for an educational institution.
John Baldwin founded Baldwin Institute, open to male and female, and to all races, creeds and nationalities. He personally worked to construct buildings to house classes, a chapel, and housing for students. His legacy is of enormous importance to the community as well as to the College as he developed the Berea sandstone quarries into the most important economic factor in the area and he gave generously of his time and his money for the betterment of the community.”
From an article by Eloise Tressel in The Enterprise, Spring 1996. Published by the Berea Area Historical Society. Available at our Gift Shop.