We hope to see you at an upcoming open house!
Please save the date for two upcoming open houses: Saturday, September 10 and Saturday, October 15 both from 12 – 4 pm. Both open houses are free and open to all.
The September open houses is an Ohio Open Doors program. Ohio Open Doors was created in 2016 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the National Historic Preservation Act. Passed by Congress and signed in to law in 1966, the National Historic Preservation Act made preserving historic, architectural and archaeological resources whenever possible a policy of the federal government. Ohio continues to rank among our nation’s leading states in preserving historic places.
The October open house is in celebration of Kenyon College’s Family Weekend celebration.
The Chapel, which dates to 1862 and is included on the list of the National Register of Historic Places, has been restored over time by community volunteers and is now managed as a nonprofit by the Friends of Quarry Chapel, a voluntary board. The Chapel is a frequent host of wedding and memorial ceremonies and occasional concerts and cultural events.
The building, at 10930 Quarry Chapel Road, Gambier, is owned by College Township and rests comfortably next to the College Township Cemetery and the Jewish Cemetery, overseen by the Jewish Cemetery Society. To learn more about Quarry Chapel, and to inquire about the Chapel as a wedding or memorial venue, please visit quarrychapel.com.
Everyone is welcome to stroll the Chapel, the grounds and the adjoining cemeteries. Members of the Friends of Quarry Chapel will be on hand to greet visitors and share their knowledge of the history of this community touchstone.
—
Quarry Chapel featured on Heart of Ohio Tour
The rich history, deep community roots, and cool beauty of Quarry Chapel are captured in this story by Knox Pages correspondent Mark Jordan
The Quarry Chapel Story
The historic Quarry Chapel anchors a serene rural intersection in Gambier, Ohio. After years of decline and then rebirth, the chapel is now a community touchstone.
Stone masons helping to build Kenyon College in the early 1860s took it upon themselves to create a house of worship, and they called it Christ Church at the Quarry. By 1930, most of the congregation had moved, joined other churches or passed away. What is now known as Quarry Chapel was deconsecrated. Ownership was transferred to College Township, and the building slumped into disuse and disrepair.
The local community has rallied over the years to preserve and protect the chapel. In 1972, the Knox County Historical Society formed the Quarry Chapel Restoration Society to oversee the building’s future. Much was accomplished but more work was needed.
A second stage of the restoration stirred in 2000, and College Township, which has owned the building since 1967, committed to support a new iteration of the Quarry Chapel Restoration Society. The project took off in 2001. By 2009, the nonprofit Friends of the Quarry Chapel assumed financial responsibility for continued restoration, improvement and maintenance.
The restored chapel is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places and stands as an important venue for weddings, concerts, memorial services and other events. The chapel is maintained by the generous support of donors and income from modest fees charged for events.