Elisabeth Martin, Campus Carrier Features Editor
Jamison Guice, Campus Carrier Asst. Features Editor
Students built what was originally named the Mount Berry Chapel in 1915. The chapel was a gift from an anonymous donor, but the donor’s name was revealed to be Curtiss James 50 years after her death. In 1947, the chapel was updated, which included adding steel supports, removing wooden beams and removing large bee hives (47 gallons of honey were found.) Now called the College Chapel, it is home to the gravesite of Martha Berry, according to “Berry Trails.”
“Berry Trails” states that different portions of the Memorial Library have been added over time. The front section was donated in October 1926 by Kate Macy Ladd as a memorial to her sister-in-law, Edith Macy. The middle was added in 1956 by the Max C. Foundation and it was named the Sarah Hamilton Fleischmann addition. Lastly, the Berry Board of Trustees decided to extend the back portion in 1987, which doubled the size of the library.
The mill was first built in 1930. The 42-foot-wide wooden wheel was made by student workers, according to “Berry Trails.” Throughout the years, it has been restored to keep its regular function. In 1977, it was completely redone by Berry students, staff and alumni. Now, the mill is only turned on special occasions, such as during Mountain Day festivities.
Built by students in 1905, the Hoge building was made possible by Berry students’ fundraising campaign: their slogan was “A Dollar A Person.” In 1962, the second floor caught on fire. Since then, Hoge has been used as administrative offices, a post office, a music department and an agriculture department. It is currently home to the student enterprise Viking Creations and the Berry Human Resources department, according to “Berry Trails.”
The Cabin in the Pines is one of the oldest buildings on Berry’s campus. Martha Berry referred to it as the tenant house, because her father’s workers lived in it. In 1910, the cabin was repurposed as a day school for young children. In the 1920s, women used it as a club meeting room and notoriously wrote “The Light House in the Pines” on the walls. After the cabin went unused for several years, SGA restored it as a 1986 Mountain Day project, according to “Berry Trails.”
Photos courtesy of Berry College Archives and Elisabeth Martin | Campus Carrier