Attend the grand reopening of the John Brown House May 9
The Summit County Historical Society will celebrate the grand reopening of the John Brown House on Tuesday, May 9, the 223rd birthday of the infamous abolitionist.
An open house will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Akron landmark at 514 Diagonal Road. A donor wall, designed by artist John Comunale, will be unveiled. State officials, local foundations, historical society members and individual donors will be among the honorees.
The event is free, but tickets are required at eventbrite.com.
Magician Rory Rennick will deliver a special presentation at 6:30 p.m. at the City of Joy Enrichment Center at 610 W. Exchange St. He will portray Henry “Box” Brown, an escaped slave from Virginia who arranged in 1849 to have himself shipped to freedom in a wooden crate to Philadelphia.
The John Brown House has undergone extensive work over the past decade, including an exterior restoration of cedar wood, a new roof, stone and chimney pointing, gutter work, painting, increased handicapped accessibility and a paved parking lot.
The house was built around 1830 by Benjamin O. Greene and Salmon Hoisington. Brown rented the dwelling for $30 a year between 1844 and 1854 from Col. Simon Perkins, who lived in nearby Perkins Stone Mansion and was the son of Akron’s co-founder, Gen. Simon Perkins. The men were business partners in the wool industry, and Brown raised sheep on the Perkins property.
Brown lived most of his life in Summit County, including Hudson and Richfield Township.
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In October 1859, Brown led 21 men in an ill-fated raid on a federal arsenal in Harpers Ferry, Virginia, in an attempt to start a slave rebellion. Ten were killed, including two of Brown’s sons. He was captured, tried and condemned, and was hanged Dec. 2, 1859.
The John Brown House is a site on the National Park Service’s Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.
For more information, visit www.summithistory.org or call 330-535-1120.
Mark J. Price can be reached at mprice@thebeaconjournal.com
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This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: John Brown House in Akron will have grand reopening
