Join the Oberlin Heritage Center for Root Beer & Yesteryear
Join the Oberlin Heritage Center on Sunday, October 3, 1:00 – 4:00 p.m. for the family-friendly Root Beer & Yesteryear. This free community event will take place on the OHC grounds, behind the Monroe House at 73 ½ South Professor Street, so that everyone can enjoy a safe afternoon full of fun activities. Social distancing is required and masks are requested when not enjoying refreshments.
Come for the root beer floats and popcorn, but stay for the historic games in front of the Little Red Schoolhouse; listen to demonstrations of an 1895 Edison Cylinder and 1917 Victor Talking Machine (both working phonographs) by OHC trustee Fr. Brian Wilbert; have your photo taken in a 1923 Model T (weather permitting); meet Powhatan Beaty, who fought at the Battle of New Market Heights during the Civil War as a member of the 5th United States Colored Troops (and who will be portrayed and interpreted by Howard Carter); and enjoy the sweet sounds of the Front Porch Swatters (Dave Lengyel on mandolin, Ron Hause on lead guitar, Ralph Ballard on rhythm guitar, Katie Galt on fiddle, Nick Malakar on bass, and Clyde Hohn on dobro) throughout the afternoon.
Why celebrate the arrival of fall with root beer? There’s a historic—and very Oberlin-esque— connection. Chemistry Professor Frank Jewett, the namesake of the house now located at 73 S. Professor Street, was a founding member of the Anti-Saloon League and brewed his own root beer as a refreshing alternative to alcoholic beverages. However, in 1897, Jewett was taken to task when he “created consternation by a report that root beer made by him and permitted to stand for three weeks showed an alcoholic content of 3.3 percent.” An unexpected outcome, and one that was most certainly not in keeping with Oberlin’s temperate ways.
But not to worry! Our celebration will be “dry” and include only soda pop to accommodate visitors of all ages.
OHC thanks Oberlin IGA and the Oberlin Athletic Boosters for their generous donations and sponsorship of this event.
