Baldwin Wallace University honored with first Grindstone Legacy Award

You might say Baldwin Wallace University and the City of Berea "grew up" together, with a shared history that dates back more than 175 years.

This fall, the Berea Chamber of Commerce recognized BW for contributions to the community at the 53rd Annual Grindstone Awards.

As BW celebrated the 175th anniversary of its founding in 2020-21, the Chamber selected Baldwin Wallace to receive the first-ever Legacy Award.

The new Legacy Award is presented to a long-standing Berea business that has made a significant and positive impact on the community as a whole.

Shared history and success

In accepting the honor, BW President Bob Helmer said, "The histories of Berea and BW are closely woven together, and we are at our best working together. BW is proud to be an integral part of this great community where we all, as neighbors and collaborators, succeed and thrive together."

Berea was born in 1836, just nine years prior to the 1845 founding of BW.

The early growth of both University and city was fueled by the nearby sandstone quarries that generated wealth for BW founder John Baldwin who fashioned the sandstone into grindstone tool sharpeners that made "Berea stone" world famous.

Since 1967, the Berea Chamber of Commerce has presented the Grindstone Award to outstanding citizens who have contributed their time and effort through volunteer service to make Berea a better place to live.