Spring 2021 Edition
Alumni & Friends Magazine
The Ridges Green: Past & Present
If you鈥檝e ever visited Athens, you know about The Ridges鈥攖he former mental health center that has towered above the southern end of campus and community since the 1870s.
Staff report | March 19, 2021
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Repurposing elements of The Ridges鈥攁nd building a future that serves campus and community
If you鈥檝e ever visited Athens, you know about The Ridges鈥攖he 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鈥檚 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.
In this interactive map, click on the starred icons to explore鈥攖hrough both text and historic and recent images鈥攖he past and present of repurposed buildings and spaces at The Ridges. Click on the 360 icons and then 鈥淪tart Tour鈥 to step inside renovated spaces in Buildings 1, 13, 14 and 18 of the Kirkbride complex, the oldest and most iconic of the property鈥檚 structures. Once inside the tour, click on the menu icon (three lines in the bottom left-hand corner of the screen) to access 360-degree photos inside the building. Clicking on the small version of the map will return you to the entire map.
Infographic designed by: John Grimwade, EMERT 鈥20. Online experience developed by: Akbar Sultanov and Neal Mohr, BSC 鈥14. Feature photo by: Ben Wirtz Siegel, BSVC 鈥02
Check out the 天美传媒Museum Complex鈥檚 mAppAthens website and 鈥淭he Ridges History Loop Tour鈥 to further explore鈥攅ither in person or digitally鈥擳he Ridges and learn about the history behind some of the other buildings on the property. The website also features 鈥淭he Ridges Tree Tour.鈥
