Draft:Kohler Hall (Baldwin Wallace University Residence Hall)

Kohler Hall is a residence hall at Baldwin Wallace University (BW) in Berea Ohio. It housed approximately 80 BW students each school year from 1870 to 2018. As well as a residence hall, the building was used in many other ways throughout history, including an orphanage and use by the United States military. The building was shut down in 2018 due to structural issues and safety concerns.

Exterior shot of Kohler Hall, the men's dormitory for German Wallace College.

The Building Before Baldwin Wallace

The building that became known as Kohler Hall was built before Baldwin Wallace College was founded in 1845. It was one of two buildings in existence when the land for German Wallace's South Campus was purchased in 1866. Prior to that, the building housed the German Methodist Orphanage Asylum from 1860-1866.

The building also was used as a stop on the underground railroad. The building was also used as an infirmary and morgue during the Civil War period.

Use As a Dormitory

Following the purchase of the building from the German Methodist Orphanage, the building was intended to be a dormitory. Specifically, with the intent of purchasing a residence for the vice president of the college. The hall later was used as the apartment for the Dean of Men. The residence of university officials in Kohler hall was a practice until the 1920s.

The northeast wing was intended for this purpose, and the rest of the building was intended for student living.

The hall was used as a woman's dorm in 1870. It remained in use as a ladies dorm until 1884, when it was renovated and turned into a men's dormitory.

The building was also used as barracks/housing for the Student Army Training Corps during World War 1.

Eventually, the dormitory became a co-ed space--housing both men and women. Many of these students were part of the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory, which is also located on South Campus.

Male students posing outside of Kohler Hall dormitory on the German Wallace College campus in the 1890s.

Renovations on the Building

A brief timeline of the construction on this building:

• James Wallace builds the original three story structure in 1860.
• During the turn of the 19th century, the modern utilities such as heating, electric lighting, and plumbing were added.
• West wing built in 1905
• North wing added in 1916 in order to expand existing plumbing
• remodeled through an anonymous donation of $25,000 by Mrs. Josephine B. Kohler in 1940, following the death of her husband Fred Kohler. The building was renamed Kohler Hall in her honor due to her work and donations to Baldwin Wallace College. The building was officially renamed Kohler Hall on Founder's Day, October 31st of that year.

Closer of Kohler Hall

Interior of Kohler Hall, dormitory at Baldwin Wallace University.

Uncertainty surrounding the future of Kohler Hall began in 2018, after the construction of the Front Street Apartments, another Baldwin Wallace residence hall located on Front Street (a major street of Berea).

The University made the decision to mothball the building, a decision that had been in discussion for some time prior. There were concerns about the cost of maintenance, the age of the building, as well as structural issues.

The appearance of Kohler Hall resembles that of other historic buildings on Baldwin Wallace's South Campus, such as Marting Hall. Those buildings are made with sandstone. However, when renovating the building in the 1910s, Kohler Hall was made with brick and covered with cement. This method was done in order to give the building the sandstone appearance.

Investigations of the building had revealed that moisture had collected behind the cement. This caused the brick to disintegrate. The cracks in the building began to grow mold. The cracks also began to allow insects into the building.

Heather Rudge, an architect with a focus on historical preservation, was asked to examine the building in order to determine if the building could be saved. Her assessment determined that the building was not salvageable. Furthermore, it was determined, with her assessment, that it would take significant funds to repair the building, to the point that it would not be worth it to seek to repair the building.

University officials announced that the building would be torn down. Plans were made to begin the demolitions in the summer of 2019. However, as of 2023, the building remains standing.

There was backlash over the university's decision to close and tear down the building due to it's significant in the history of the school and the experience of students. Particular backlash over the closer came from the archival team at Baldwin Wallace, who hoped that the university would preserve the building due to its history.

Suggested Paranormal Activity

Due to the history of the building, as well as the use of the building as an orphanage and infirmary, Kohler Hall is reportedly one of the most haunted buildings on Baldwin Wallace's campus

Some tales claim that the spirit of a little girl haunts Kohler.

Other legends pertain to an underground tunnel that leads to Lindsay Crossman Chapel (a chapel on South Campus). The legend claims that the tunnel houses a number of drawers. Deceased were kept in the drawers until they could be transported to Lindsay Crossman for their funerals. Reportedly, the presence of spirits in the tunnel is so strong that residents of Kohler requested that the school close the tunnel. The school hired a contractor to close the tunnel. However, the contractor was so disturbed by the spirits that they fled the school, leaving the tunnel open.

The ghosts of the tunnel are only some of the ghosts that are claimed to haunt Kohler. There are several ghosts that residents have claimed they see inside the building itself.

One of these ghosts is a man in a military uniform. He can supposedly only be seen from the knee up, because he is walking on the original floors of Kohler Hall, which were several feet lower than the modern floors.

Other residents have claimed to see a female named "Mabel". Mabel is reportedly friendly. She has been seen laying clothes out on resident's beds, as well as running her fingers through necklaces hung on the wall.

The most dangerous and notorious ghost seen throughout Kohler is simply referred to as the "Blue Mist" This mist reportedly pressed on the chests of sleeping residents, making it difficult for them to breathe. Residents have also claimed that the mist rips blankets off of sleeping residents. According to tales, one resident was so antagonized by the Blue Mist that she would scream uncontrollably. the University was forced to move the resident to another dormitory on campus.