Berea

Marvin Carlberg, Howard Carlberg, Patricia L. Stevens

• Publisher: Arcadia Publishing
• Year: 2009
• Print ISBN: 9780738567167
• eBook ISBN: 9781439622643
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: North American History
• Index: History

In 1853, emancipationist Cassius M. Clay gave a portion of his land holdings in central Kentucky to Rev. John G. Fee. Together they had a vision of building a community for all people of the earth, regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or class. Berea College was founded in 1855 with the same principles in mind, becoming the first interracial and coeducational college in the South. By the 1920s, Berea was a popular stopping point for travelers driving the Dixie Highway, highlighted by the Boone Tavern, which opened in 1909. Images of America: Berea takes readers on a pictorial journey of Bereas history, the growth of the college, and the flourishing artisan community with more than 200 images selected from the extensive Berea College Archives, private collections, and other sources.

Four

EXCITING EXCURSIONS AND ENERGETIC ENTERPRISES

NEARBY POINTS OF INTEREST AND LOCAL INDUSTRY

Berea is one of the fastest growing towns in Kentucky and is host to many visitors through its mild spring, summer, and fall. This chapter shows nearby points of interest, interesting sights, and other local activities open to the community, making it a fun destination for a day or a week and a fine place to live as well. Pictured on this page is a group of hikers standing on East Pinnacle around 1910. (Berea College.)

A picture is worth 1,000 words, but seeing these views in person might render you speechless, especially if you visit during the peak of the fall colors. There is a bounty of sights like these along the Berea College Forest hiking trails. Magnificent views of Central Kentucky farmland emerge to greet those who venture here. In the distance, the rounded hills known as “Knobs” are a common geologic formation among the western Appalachian Mountains. (Above, Artvue, New York; below, Curteich, Chicago.)

Some of the most popular hiking trails in Berea start from just a single trailhead in the Indian Fort Theater parking lot. These hikes can range from one hour to a few hours of footing it through lush stands of hickories and oaks. Shown here is the expansive view one is rewarded when reaching the Pinnacle. (Sune Frederiksen.)

Just around the corner from East Pinnacle on the Indian Fort Lookout trail is an unusual rock formation named the Rock House. Also called “The Devil’s Kitchen,” this undercut cliff forms a cave-like structure; the roof and arch are worn smooth and the softer interior is eroded away. (The Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York.)

Peace and quiet prevail in the mountains adjacent to the town of Berea. (The Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York.)

A view from around 1910 shows the spring at Bear Knob, elevation 1,224 feet, which was a rare source of clean water. (The Albertype Company, Brooklyn, New York.)

Shown here is a water mill in the Berea mountains. A large millstone from a mill such as this was donated to Berea College in 1947 by Mariet G. Nutting, wife of furniture maker Wallace Nutting, who had made a dramatic impact on the college woodcraft program in the 1930s. The millstone now sits in a picnic area on campus. (Curteich, Chicago.)

This is a gathering on “Mountain Day”—a memorable tradition students look forward to every year, when classes are cancelled and everyone hikes into the hills for a day of music, traditional games, Appalachian crafts, and good old camaraderie with fellow students. This has been an annual event since 1874, sometimes held in the spring but usually at the peak of the fall colors in late October. (Berea College.)

On the morning of “Mountain Day,” a crowd would gather in front of Boone Tavern, such as pictured here around 1912, to load up the pack horses with picnic supplies before the day-long event begins. When the group is ready to depart, many will sing or chant poetry. “Off to the hills! Off to the hills! / Baskets, wagons, laughter, thrills! / A care-free day, in sunshine gay; / A wider view: friends old and new; / Back to it all how mem’ry thrills! / Back to the hills! Back to the hills!” (Berea College.)

Berea is the ideal community in which to raise a family: plenty of open space—parks, fields, and forests to explore; a public swimming pool and ice skating rink; baseball and soccer fields; a golf course; and bicycle and hiking trails. “Ours is a safe, clean environment set in a beautiful landscape,” says Mayor Steve Connelly. “We have good schools and a vibrant economy, and our cost of living is very affordable.” For a small town of around 12,000 people, Berea offers an abundance of cultural attractions, free music performances, and livel...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Epigraph
• Table of Contents
• ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
• INTRODUCTION
• One - BEREA BEGINNINGS
• Two - COLLEGE CAMPUS
• Three - DORMITORIES AND DOMICILES
• Four - EXCITING EXCURSIONS AND ENERGETIC ENTERPRISES
• Five - FESTIVALS, FAIRS, AND FUN
• Six - GOD’S GOOD GRACES
• Seven - HISTORIC HOTELS AND HOT HANGOUTS
• Eight - INGENIOUS IMAGERY
• TIMELINE
• BIBLIOGRAPHY