This "Step inside The Ridges with Ohio Today" update was an email that was originally shared with alumni on June 10, 2021. Didn't receive it? Update your information

If you’ve ever visited Athens, you know about The Ridges – the former mental health center that has towered above the southern end of campus and community since the 1870s.

In 1993, Ohio University took full ownership of the property’s 700-plus acres of land and historic buildings, more than doubling the acreage of the Athens Campus. For the past nearly 30 years, the University has been transforming one of the most well-known and largest historical sites in the region, repurposing elements of The Ridges to preserve its historic character while building a future that serves campus and community.

The spring issue of Ohio Today takes a look at how OHIO is preserving and making history at one of Athens’ most iconic properties.

Read about the most recent transformations at The Ridges, which made OHIO the first university to ever repurpose an entire wing of a Kirkbride facility for its academic mission. Explore an interactive map of The Ridges Green that includes historic and current images of the repurposed buildings and an immersive experience that allows you to step inside renovated spaces within the Kirkbride complex. And share your memories and hopes for the future of this cherished landscape. 

Check out a companion article on The Ridges Land Lab, where forests and former farmland and orchards serve as one of OHIO’s most unique classrooms and research spaces. 

Photos by Ben Wirtz Siegel, BSVC ’02

Ohio Today is Ohio University’s alumni magazine and a publication of The Ohio University Foundation. For additional information about Ohio Today or to provide feedback, please email ohiotoday@ohio.edu.