Restore & Renew: Preserving the Legacy of Alexander Campbell

By Steve Reeves

A major new initiative is underway to preserve one of the most significant collections in the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement. The Disciples of Christ Historical Society (DCHS) has launched “Restore & Renew: The Campbell Papers Project,” a capital campaign designed to preserve, relocate, and eventually digitize the personal papers and library of Alexander Campbell. For church members and historians alike, this project represents a significant step in protecting and sharing the roots of the Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement to future generations.

Alexander Campbell, one of the key reformers of the nineteenth century Stone-Campbell Restoration Movement, left behind an extraordinary collection of writings, books, and family documents. For years, these materials have been housed at Bethany College. But according to Dr. Joel Brown, president of DCHS, their long-term preservation requires a new environment.

The campaign emerged from a practical need: time, climate, and limited archival capacity placed the collection at risk of not only damage, but deterioration. The solution is a new facility at the DCHS—one intentionally designed to protect these historic documents and make them more accessible than ever before.

The campaign’s first phase seeks to raise three million dollars to fund both the construction of the Campbell Library and a full renovation of the archival offices.

This new space will not only preserve the Campbell Collection but also “provide enhanced workspace, and establish an endowed staff position devoted to the collection’s care,” says Dr. Brown.

The “Restore” phase of the campaign focuses on the conservation of Campbell’s original papers, books, and family documents. Once kept in Campbell’s own study, these materials are foundational to the early history of the Stone-Campbell Movement. According to Dr. Brown, the library will preserve “all the papers that are related specifically to Campbell and the Campbell family,”along with Alexander’s personal library, ensuring that these resources remain protected for generations to come. Campbell’s recently renovated personal library, which he referred to as “Light From Above,” will serve as the design prototype for the new Campbell Library.

In describing Campbell’s study while visiting the Campbell home in Bethany, WV, several years ago, George W. DeHoff, a Church of Christ preacher and founder of DeHoff Publishing Company, wrote, “No more impressive sight was seen than Mr. Campbell’s octagonal brick study which stands in the yard a short distance from the house.” Dehoff described the interior walls as being, “lined with the finest and best books of his day.” It was here where Alexander Campbell “met the great minds of the past; it was here that he wrestled with the great tasks which fell upon his shoulders and made decisions which reach out into eternity in their influence upon thousands of people.”

Of particular significance, Dr. Brown notes, is the plan to display the oldest known copy of the Declaration and Address of the Christian Association of Washington—one of the Movement’s foundational documents written by Alexander’s father, Thomas Campbell. This edition includes the publisher’s pre-printed version containing handwritten edits from both Thomas and Alexander Campbell.

Beyond protecting the physical documents, the project is looking ahead to the future of scholarship and ministry.

The “Renew” phase of the project aims to create a fully digitized repository of the Campbell Collection—an ambition Brown considers essential to raising Campbell’s historical profile. “One of my goals,” he says, “is to create a complete digitized repository for the Campbell collection.” Digitization not only preserves the documents but increases their availability, making them accessible far beyond the walls of the new library. Brown believes this expanded access will highlight Campbell’s significant relevance, noting his conviction that Campbell remains “one of the most important nineteenth-century reformers in America.”

The facility itself is designed with both scholars and the public in mind. The top floor will feature a museum-style exhibition space open to visitors who can view Campbell’s personal library, belongings, and encounter key documents from the movement’s early years.

The lower level of the building will serve as the center for archival work, providing an updated, climate-controlled environment for the ongoing preservation of Stone-Campbell history. Combined, these spaces will allow DCHS to expand its mission while inviting the broader Christian community to connect with their heritage in meaningful ways.

Construction on the Campbell Library is underway, with an anticipated completion date of May 2026. Once the building is finished, the process of transferring, arranging, and preparing the collection for display will begin. Brown anticipates the full collection being in place and publicly accessible by early 2027.

The Restore and Renew Project is more than a construction effort—it is a pledge to honor our past by helping future generations recognize the enduring significance of our history and heritage as a movement.

Those who wish to support the Restore & Renew Campaign can learn more or make a donation toward this project’s completion on the DCHS website.

Steve Reeves serves as minister of Spring Hill Church of Christ, Middletown, Ohio.