Wilson Bruce Evans' descendants to celebrate restoration of abolitionist's home

OBERLIN — Descendants of Wilson Bruce Evans will come together Sept. 18 to celebrate the famed Oberlin abolitionist and the restoration of his former home. Historians are in the early stages of planning a rehabilitation of the house at 33 E. Vine St., which was a well-known stop on the Underground Railroad. "This building is a treasure. It is a one-of-a-kind property," said Carol Lasser, manager of the Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society. "It's important to anyone who cares about African American history, anyone who is interested in the Underground Railroad, anyone who is interested in how people lived and made a living in a small abolitionist town before the Civil War." The home was crafted between 1854 and 1856 by brothers Wilson and Henry Evans. Wilson was an early supporter of Oberlin College and played a key role in the rescue of escaped slave John Price, who was abducted by slave-catchers in 1858. His kin will visit town — in some cases for the first time in many years — for a ceremony Sept. 18 at Martin Luther King Jr. Park, across the street from the Evans house. In the event of rain, it will be held at the nearby House of the Lord Fellowship Church, 125 S. Pleasant St. The event is the first of what Lasser hopes will be an annual gathering for the historical society, which was formed in January. The public is invited to attend and become founding members for $10; while the home will not be open for tours, concept drawings for renovations will be on display. Earlier this year, after a presentation by Charles Hall of Cleveland-based City Architecture, the Oberlin Historic Preservation Commission cleared the way for restoration of the Wilson Bruce Evans House. At the top of the priority list is replacing the roof. Made of 127-year-old Pennsylvania blue slate, it has long outlived its expected lifespan. Foundation work and tuck pointing also are high on the list, Lasser said. "The house is in remarkably good condition for a 167-year-old house," she said. "The bones of the house are excellent." The home has not been occupied since 1997. Lasser said it is unlikely to open to the public in 2022, as had been the original hope. Plans are in motion for reconstructing the front porch and the entire rear wing of the building. The idea is to create a large meeting room to seat up to 40 people for educational programming and exhibits. Lasser said the historical society intends to apply for funding through the National Park Service and the National Trust for Historic Preservation. She also would like to see the building listed as part of the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Project. Few homes in the United States that were built by African American abolitionists remain standing and are open to the public, Lasser said. The most famous is arguably the Maryland home of Underground Railroad hero Harriet Tubman. After escaping to freedom herself, she returned to the South on some 13 missions to rescue an additional 70 people from bondage. In Ohio, the only other such place of which Lasser is aware is the John P. Parker House in Ripley. Parker, also a former slave, helped hundreds of people escape to freedom. "I am overjoyed that the Wilson Bruce Evans family home, built by and for African Americans at the forefront in the battle for our freedom, will now stand as a site for all children to learn about the contributions of Black men and women to the history of Oberlin and our entire county," said Evans Home Historical Society Trustee Phyllis Yarber Hogan. For more information, go to evanshhs.org or email manager@evanshhs.org. Contact Jason Hawk at (440) 329-7122 or news@lcnewspapers.com.