Dunham Tavern Museum

TO PRESERVE, DEVELOP AND SHARE HISTORIC DUNHAM TAVERN AND ITS CAMPUS AS AN EDUCATIONAL AND CULTURAL RESOURCE. WE ASPIRE FOR DUNHAM TAVERN AS AN INSTITUTION TO PROVIDE AN URBAN GREEN SPACE IN MIDTOWN CLEVELAND, AND TO RETURN THE TAVERN TO ITS ROOTS BY SERVING AS A PLACE FOR URBAN HISTORY, EDUCATION, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY.

ONCE A STAGECOACH STOP ON THE BUFFALO-CLEVELAND-DETROIT POST ROAD, THE 1824 HOME OF RUFUS AND JANE PRATT DUNHAM IS THE OLDEST BUILDING STILL STANDING ON ITS ORIGINAL SITE IN THE CITY OF CLEVELAND. IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE CITYSCAPE THAT SURROUNDS IT, DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS OFFERS A GLIMPSE OF HISTORY AND INSIGHT INTO THE LIFESTYLES OF EARLY OHIO SETTLERS AND TRAVELERS. AMAZINGLY, THE STRUCTURE HAS PERSISTED AS A WITNESS TO NEARLY 200 YEARS OF HISTORY AND CHANGE ON EUCLID AVENUE. STAGECOACH STOPS TO CAR DEALERSHIPS, MILLIONAIRE'S ROW TO URBAN RENEWAL . . . DUNHAM HAS REMAINED. DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS-AN INCLUSIVE PLACE THAT INSPIRES AND ENRICHES LIVES THROUGH HISTORY, NATURE, AND COMMUNITY. HISTORY NEVER RESTS BUT IS RETOLD BY EACH GENERATION. THE DUNHAM TAVERN HAS WITNESSED CLEVELAND'S HISTORY AND AMAZINGLY SURVIVED FOR ALMOST TWO CENTURIES. AS WE ENTER OUR THIRD CENTURY, DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS IS A PLACE WHERE ONE MAY EXPLORE AND CELEBRATE OUR COMMUNITY'S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. WHILE WE HONOR THE DUNHAMS OF "PIONEER" DAYS, WE ALSO CELEBRATE EACH SUCCESSIVE GENERATION RIGHT UP TO TODAY THAT MADE NEW LIVES IN CLEVELAND. WE STRIVE TO FOSTER A RENEWED APPRECIATION OF NATURE AND OUR LANDSCAPE - EXPERIENCED AT OUR OUTDOOR EVENTS OR SIMPLY BY A CASUAL STROLL AND REFLECTION ON THE HERITAGE TRAIL. DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS IS A COMMUNITY ANCHOR THAT PRESERVES HISTORY WHILE CREATING A VITAL GATHERING SPACE THAT CONTINUES TO INSPIRE AND CELEBRATE A CHANGING MUSEUM FOR A RESILIENT NEIGHBORHOOD. JUST AS DUNHAM'S HISTORY REFLECTS PRESERVATION AND ADAPTATION WITHIN CHANGING NEIGHBORHOOD CONTEXTS, TODAY IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT TO CONSIDER THE FUTURE OF DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS. A ONCE-IN-A-GENERATION OPPORTUNITY EXISTS TO PRESERVE DUNHAM'S HISTORY WHILE IMAGINING A VISIONARY FUTURE THAT SUSTAINS AND ELEVATES US AS A SIGNIFICANT NEIGHBORHOOD ASSET AND A REGIONAL CULTURAL DESTINATION. DUNHAM IS AT THE HEART OF THE NEWLY DEFINED MIDTOWN CIVIC DISTRICT. WITH INCREASED PLANNING AND INVESTMENT ALONG E. 66TH STREET AND THE EUCLID HEALTHTECH CORRIDOR, THE DUNHAM CAMPUS CAN BECOME AN INSPIRING, WELCOMING 21ST CENTURY PUBLIC SPACE THAT ENSURES DUNHAM TAVERN MUSEUM & GARDENS REMAINS A VITAL MIDTOWN INSTITUTION.