Berryville : rich in history and natural beauty
Brothers Joel and William Plumlee are credited as the first pioneer settlers in the area . They arrived in the area that is now the Berryville town square in 1832 . Blackburn Henderson Berry moved to Carroll County from Gunter ’ s Landing , Alabama , in 1848 . Berry purchased the Plumlees ’ farm in 1850 and opened a store . Later that same year , Arthur A . Baker , previously a blacksmith in Carrollton , moved to the area and became a self-taught doctor .
Arthur Baker and Blackburn
Henderson Berry were at odds about who would get the honor of having the town named after them . It was decided that they would flip a coin and the winner ’ s last name would adorn the village . Obviously , Berry won the coin toss .
“ Berryville is nestled right here in the Ozarks , and it is smothered with beauty and charm ,” said Kait Ballinger , executive director of the Greater Berryville Area Chamber of Commerce . “ The community here is loyal and strong . People will do anything to help out their community . I love that .”
Ballinger has lived in Berryville for six years , and has become a huge supporter of her adopted town .
“ I think it ’ s a great place to raise a family ,” she said . “ There ’ s a lot of wonderful young people coming out of here doing great things for this world . I ’ m proud of the next generation that we are
10 • HOMETOWN CARROLL COUNTY raising up .”
The city of Berryville was incorporated after the Civil War ended , 25 years after its founding , in 1876 . Following the Civil War , Berryville was in ruins , but settlers began arriving to the community and as the years passed the city was rebuilt .
On the city ’ s historic public downtown square , Berryville ’ s place in the war between the states is depicted with an official marker noting its darkest hour , when Confederate soldiers ambushed
Union forces near Berryville as they were foraging along the Osage branch of the Kings River , ultimately killing six Union soldiers and six Black teamsters . All 12 were buried in the Berryville Memorial Cemetery situated along Bunch Springs Road in Berryville .
A Strong Economic Center
Although the rocky soil made farming difficult here , gradually tomatoes , wheat