Beautiful historic landmark building.

It has some great history and I look forward to the day it opens as a museum. You can only walk around outside of it right now.

My Great Great Great Grandfather Thomas Craven coordinated the building of this school for ALL people during a time of great civil unrest over the slavery issue. My Great Grandfather Herman John Craven was born here and became an engineer and moved to Utah where I John Craven now reside. It was amazing to come and touch some of my Family History. It was amazing to talk to so many who are researching my family!!

This beautiful historic building is slowly and carefully being restored to its original glory. The history behind this site is important. It was one of the first colleges to accept students regardless of race or gender. It is moving to learn this history and unsettling. Definitely take a tour if it is available.

An absolute delight. A treasure in southern Indiana! Everyone should visit!

HistoryReverend Thomas Craven, a visiting Baptist minister who studied at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, is credited with proposing the idea for the school. He was also an abolitionist and an early advocate of an integrated educational system. Following his advice, several members of Neils Creek Abolitionist Baptist Church established the Eleutherian Institute, its initial name, at Lancaster, Indiana, in 1848. Much of the iniitial organizing done by the extended Hoyt-Whipple family.From the 1830s to the 1860s the unincorporated community of Lancaster, about 10 miles (16 km) northwest of Madison in Jefferson County, Indiana, was known for its anti-slavery sentiment. Some members of the local community established the Neils Creek Anti-Slavery Society in 1839 and the Neils Creek Abolitionist Baptist Church in 1846. Neils Creek was located about 3 miles (4.8 km) west of Lancaster, a major stop for fugitive slaves along the Underground Railroad route as they traveled north from Madison on the Ohio River to Indianapolis, Indiana. Several abolitionist families in the area, including some members of the schools board of trustees, were active participants in the Underground Railroad. The communitys abolitionist church and anti-slavery sentiments also made Lancaster a good place to establish an integrated school.Eleutherian Institute admitted students without regard to ethnicity or gender, including freed and fugitive slaves. The institutes name comes from the Greek word eleutheros, meaning freedom and equality.[8] Its first classes began offering secondary school instruction on November 27, 1848, with fifteen students gathering in an old meetinghouse near Lancaster.Reverend John G. Craven, the son of Reverend Thomas Craven, served as the schools first teacher. John C. Thompson, Thomas Cravens son-in-law, served as a teacher for the first year, but he returned to Ohio when the school was unable to financially support two teachers. Reverend John Craven was principal of the school until 1861, then moved to Minnesota. James and Lucy Nelson maintained the schools dormitory in the days before the American Civil War.

Very nice,well kept, lots of history

The new renovations looks great. Loved visiting again

Old college alot of nastalgia

Lovely structure with a fascinating history. Glad to see efforts made to preserve a place founded on such progressive ideals at a crossroads in history.

Terrific historical site.

Its so rich with history and has beautiful views along with outstanding architecture, complimented with locally quarried limestone!

It is across the street from my childhood home

The website had no information on being closed, drove 30 minutes out of the way on windy country roads to stand outside of it.