History in Athens: The Story of Edward and Mattie Berry

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Program Type:

History & Genealogy

Age Group:

College Students, Adults
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Program Description

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One of the most remarkable localbiographies stars the paired lives of Edward Berry and his wife
Mattie, who enriched Athens through innovative, entrepreneurial
activities spanning the late 19th century and well into the 20th.

The Berrys began their lives in humble
circumstances but went on to run a variety of successful and beloved
businesses, including a confectionary shop, a restaurant, and a four-star
hotel. They also built a beautiful, Romanesque-style church to serve
Athens' African American community that still stands today.

Learn more about the Berrys' special
story through local historian Ada Woodson Adams, founding member of the
Multicultural Genealogical Center in Chesterhill and the Mt. Zion
Preservation Society of Athens.