Wilson Bruce Evans House
Oberlin, Ohio
The Wilson Bruce Evans House will open as a historic site and educational center. Photos of the house by Tanya Rosen-Jones.
After beginning the historic renovation process, trustees of the Wilson Bruce Evans House turned to us for next steps in bringing about their vision to use this historic house built by a Black abolitionist to connect Oberlin’s history of Black activism with the ongoing struggle for social justice. We developed a comprehensive master plan that aligned the board’s goals, the family’s input, and the community’s needs with the historic building in downtown Oberlin. Through careful discussion, we helped the board clarify and articulate their priorities. Surveying similar institutions, we offered benchmarks for future planning and ideas for possible programming and audience development prospects. We also synthesized input from descendants, board members, and the local community into specific goals for the permanent exhibition and offered a a framework to support the visitor experience.
“Evans HHS is extremely lucky to have such a talented team guiding us.”
Gary Kornblith, Trustee, Wilson Bruce Evans Home Historical Society
