Oak Hill & Martha Berry Museum | Rome City

Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum, located on the campus of Berry College in Rome, Georgia, is a nationally significant historic site that preserves the home, life, and legacy of one of the South’s most influential educators, Martha Berry. This site offers a deeply immersive look into Southern history, early 20th-century education, classical estate architecture, and American philanthropy, set amid expansive, meticulously maintained gardens and grounds.

1. Historical Significance of Oak Hill

Origins and Development

The original Oak Hill house was constructed in the 1840s as a modest farmhouse. Martha Berry’s father, Captain Thomas Berry, purchased the home in 1871 and significantly expanded it.

After a fire damaged the structure in 1884, it was rebuilt in the Greek Revival style with prominent white columns, a wide front porch, and symmetrical proportions.

Martha Berry lived in the home for most of her adult life and later turned it into a center of hospitality, learning, and planning for the educational institutions she founded.

Renovations by Martha Berry

In 1927, Martha Berry undertook a major renovation of Oak Hill, introducing Colonial Revival elements that reflect her refined taste and status as a Southern hostess.

Modern amenities like indoor plumbing, electricity, and central heating were added, while decorative features like French wallpaper, fine furnishings, and artwork were carefully chosen to reflect both comfort and sophistication.

2. Martha Berry’s Legacy

Martha Berry (1865–1942) is remembered as the visionary founder of the Berry Schools and later Berry College, a private institution grounded in values of self-reliance, character education, and service.

She began her educational efforts in a small log cabin on the Oak Hill estate, teaching reading and scripture to local rural children.

Her model grew to include boys’ and girls’ boarding schools, and eventually a college. She received widespread recognition, including commendations from Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Oak Hill became not only her residence but a planning center for the development of Berry’s educational empire.

3. Oak Hill Mansion

Visitors to the mansion tour over a dozen fully furnished rooms, each restored to reflect the 1930s-1940s period, during Martha Berry’s peak years of influence.

Key Rooms:

Formal Parlor: Features period furniture, elegant lighting fixtures, and artwork collected by the Berry family.

Dining Room: Set for formal meals with silver service and fine china.

Library: Contains personal books, letters, and documents that offer insight into Martha Berry’s thoughts and extensive correspondence with national figures.

Bedrooms: Showcase original furniture, textiles, and personal items from Martha and her family.

Artifacts on display include original clothing, Martha Berry’s writing desk, family photographs, and decorative arts acquired during the early 20th century.

4. The Martha Berry Museum

Built adjacent to the estate, the museum was established in 1972 and is divided into several exhibition areas:

Permanent Exhibits:

Martha Berry's Life and Work: Traces her upbringing, personal values, and how she established her schools with a combination of grit, religious conviction, and innovation.

The Growth of Berry College: Shows the transition from rural cabin school to one of the nation’s largest college campuses.

Multimedia Presentations: Archival footage and audio recordings from school functions and interviews with students and faculty.

Special Collections:

Art Collection: Includes European paintings, sculptures, and decorative pieces gifted by Martha Berry’s sister, Eugenia Berry, who married Prince Enrico of Italy.

Historic Furniture and Decorative Arts: From the Berry family collection and others from the period.

Rotating Exhibits:

The museum also hosts temporary exhibits focusing on topics like Southern women in history, rural education, and philanthropic movements of the early 1900s.

5. Gardens and Grounds

The estate features over 4 acres of meticulously designed gardens created between 1927 and 1933 by landscape architect Robert B. Cridland.

Featured Gardens:

Formal Boxwood Garden: Lined with hedges, seasonal flowers, and a central fountain.

Sundial Garden: Features a historic sundial and was originally planted with hundreds of rose varieties.

Goldfish Garden: A tranquil area with a central pond, water lilies, and flowering borders, reportedly Martha’s favorite spot.

Sunken Garden: Designed like a natural amphitheater with terraces and spring bloom displays.

These gardens offer not only historical and aesthetic value but are also part of an All-America Selections Display Garden, showcasing sustainable and high-performance plants.

6. Additional Historic Structures

Several outbuildings and original educational sites have been preserved:

● The Log Cabin

The humble beginning of Martha Berry’s mission.

A one-room cabin where she taught literacy and religion to local mountain children.

The cabin has been preserved with original furniture and classroom materials.

● Carriage House & Garage

Displays Martha Berry’s 1914 Ford Touring Car and 1940 Mercury, both representing early automotive history and her accessibility outreach efforts.

● Martha Freeman Cottage

Home of Martha Berry’s longtime friend and housekeeper.

Tells the story of African American service workers who were vital to the estate and early Berry Schools operations.

7. Tours and Visitor Experience

Guided Tours: Led by Berry College students, offering informative, personal perspectives.

Self-Guided Walks: Visitors can stroll the estate at their own pace with brochures or mobile app access.

Educational Programs: Offered for school groups and tourists, with storytelling, archival presentations, and interactive learning modules.

8. Events and Cultural Programs

Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum hosts:

Seasonal garden tours (especially in spring and fall)

Lecture series on Southern history, education, and women’s leadership

Historic reenactments and living history days

Martha Berry’s Birthday Celebration, held annually to honor her contributions

9. Visitor Information

Location: 24 Veterans Memorial Hwy NE, Rome, GA 30161 (adjacent to the Berry College campus entrance)

Operating Hours: Monday through Saturday, 10 AM – 5 PM (last tour at 3 PM)

Admission Fees:

Adults: $5

Seniors (55+): $4

Non-Berry Students (grades 1–college): $2

Children under 5: Free

Parking: Free and easily accessible from the main entrance

Gift Shop: Offers books, local crafts, souvenirs, and historical memorabilia

Conclusion

Oak Hill & The Martha Berry Museum is more than a historic estate-it is a living testament to the power of visionary education, civic responsibility, and Southern resilience. Every corner of the house, garden, and museum tells a story of how one woman’s mission reshaped thousands of lives and left a legacy still thriving today through Berry College. The site offers an educational, aesthetic, and deeply inspiring experience for visitors of all backgrounds.