Berry College is a well-known college located in Rome, Georgia. With 27,000 acres of land, Berry College Campus is the largest and one of the most beautiful in the world. It had a very humble beginning. Most people would be surprised to find out that it was started in a child’s playhouse in the yard of Martha Berry.
As a young adult, Martha Berry converted her childhood playhouse into her study. One day she had visitors, young boys from the mountain. They did not have an education and had never been taught about God or read from the Bible, so Martha took it upon herself to teach them. Her love of God, learning, and the mountain people are the foundation for the Berry Schools. It wasn’t long before the school outgrew the playhouse, and they had to find another location.
This led them to Possum Trot Church. Martha Berry used it for Sunday School to teach the children and their parents about God and the Bible. Inside the church, she painted scriptures on the walls that can still be seen today. The school grew from there. Martha Berry taught the children skills to improve their lives and made education available to everyone.
Over time the church needed additional space, and classrooms were added on both sides, expanding to what is now the original school. Possum Trot began Martha Berry’s dream of expanding the school into what it has become today.
You can look inside the school and get an idea of what it would have been like when it was still in operation.
Each window gives you a glimpse into the past.
Martha Berry believed in teaching the students trades that could benefit their lives. Students could work on campus in exchange for their education.
The Dairy was started in 1902 and continues to be a working dairy farm today. Students can work there and gain valuable experience.
In 1930 the Old Mill was constructed. It stands 42 feet in diameter and is the tallest working mill. Once a year, the mill will run and grind corn mill for Mountain Week.
As time passed, Martha Berry gained recognition for her work and recruited some wealthy backers to help build her dream. One of the benefactors that had a substantial influence on the Berry Schools was Henry Ford. Because of Henry Ford’s contributions, Berry College now has the Ford Buildings, which were built after a miscommunication between Henry Ford and Martha Berry. She asked for a recreation facility. Instead of asking for clarity, Henry Ford constructed just a facility to cover anything Martha Berry could want. The Ford Buildings are built in a Gothic Castle style and are a popular spot on campus for photos.
The buildings are large and expand in every direction.
If you take the time to look at the intricate details of the buildings, they are breathtaking.
The Ford Buildings are just as beautiful inside as they are outside. I went to a wedding reception and could see inside the buildings. There is bible scripture carved into the molding inside.
Frost Chapel is a beautiful church that is a trendy place for weddings. It looks like it came right off the pages of a fairy tale.
While visiting Berry College campus, you will always find wildlife. At times we have driven past and seen more deer than you could count. On this trip, geese were crossing our path. The wildlife is protected and plentiful.
While the geese are beautiful and entertaining, the most spectacular wildlife at Berry College is the Bald Eagles. They have resided at Berry College for several years and have baby eaglets yearly. You can watch the nest live on the eagle cam set up by Berry College Here.
There is an area dedicated to eagle watching with chairs that give you the best view of the nest. I could improve on video, but I will share what I captured of the eagle flying.
Over recent years Berry has added athletic facilities to their campus.
My kids were in the band at Pepperell, and one year the Pepperell field had a pipe leak before the first home game. Berry College allowed us to play on their field. Wow, it was nice. Berry students ran the concession stands. It was a great experience.
With so many beautiful things at Berry College, it is hard to cover them all. I have been to the Berry College campus countless times, and I am always amazed at the beauty of the campus. It has so much heritage and history that tells the story of Martha Berry’s hard work and ambition. It also speaks of her love of education and her dream to share it.
To read about the life and legacy Martha Berry left, click HERE and read my post about our visit to the Oak Hill Museum, the home of Martha Berry.
