History of Berry Hill Gardens
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Berry Hill Gardens Inn has had a
colorful and at times, notorious past.
Built in the style of a
traditional farmhouse about 1820, additions were made to it in the 1850s,
while owned by a branch of the infamous Loomis family.
The Loomis gang was a band of
horse thieves and bank robbers who lived in this area during the early
1800s. Cis teases that he keeps digging more gardens because he is trying
to find the buried treasure left by the Loomis gang. |
Early Loomis House |
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A Loomis House in the 1940's |
Oral history tells us the house
was built by one of the five Loomis brothers as part of a wager. The
brothers, who farmed and harvested the hardwoods on the land, were tipping
back adult beverages at the local Jericho Tavern when they decided on a
wager of which brother could build the biggest house the fastest. What the
prize was other than the satisfaction of winning, remains unknown. |
| With the help of some of the original Loomis descendants we have been able
to identify what we believe to be the five Loomis houses. Besides the Ward
Loomis house which is now Berry Hill Gardens, the house at the bottom of
Ward Loomis Road with the magnificent red barn; and the more decorative
farmhouse which was originally on the parcel about halfway up the road on
the left side, sadly destroyed by fire in the mid 1960s. The fourth house
would probably be the mill house on Brackett Lake road (now County Road
17). The whereabouts of the fifth and final house remains unknown; perhaps
it was on the corner of County Road 17 and Route 206. |
An early Loomis house - Federal |
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Home of Edward T. & Angeline Loomis, west
Bainbridge near cemetery |
Loomis house at Berry Hill Gardens in the 1940's |
Loomis house on 98 acres |
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Ireland Homestead |
During the Depression the Inn was used as a three-family house and the
property was one of the largest and most productive farms in the area.
Traditional dairy farming continued here until the 1950s. The beautiful
three-story barn was torn down sometime during the 1960s or 1970s as a
result of needing a new roof. It evolved into Chenango Valley Nursery and
a major portion of the farm was planted with a variety Christmas trees,
many of which are still in evidence. During its more recent history, the
Inn has been blessed by a Tibetan Lama. |
In the early 80’s there were wild berries in abundance, prompting the name
Berry Hill Gardens.
The Inn
proudly maintains its simple qualities. |
Berry Hill Gardens Barn in the 1940's |
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