W.R. Berry Carriage House

W.R. Berry Carriage House. . This big red barn was built by W.R. Berry circa 1908. The extensions on each side give the barn a distinctive look. Berry's granddaughter, Ruth Berry Brown, referred to the structure as a carriage house rather than a barn, with good reason. The structure was upscale compared to the average outbuildings of its day and was equipped with large double doors to accommodate Berry's hearse., This fact spawned speculation that the building once served as a funeral home, a rumor that was not without merit. Berry sold caskets in his downtown mercantile store, storing them on the upper floor. It was not unusual, in those days, for general merchandise stores to carry items related to the funeral business. Extra caskets were stored in the carriage house., In the late 1990s, after falling into years of ruin and decay, the old red barn was rescued from demolition and restored to its upscale condition by being converted into a private home. Landmark Award, July 4, 1998.