The year 2025 promises to be a historic one for the Berryville Public library and, by extension, for the town of Berryville. Groundbreaking on the new library should happen sometime in the first half of the year, so the library should be finished either at the very end of the year or, more likely, in early 2026. Preparation for the new building has made us at the Berryville Library nostalgic and reflective, not just about the library’s history but also about the town’s history. Other seminal moments in Berryville Library history occurred in 1938 and 1978, so we’ll be looking back this year on what Berryville was like then, as well as what it is like now, as we also look to the future.
To start this series, we figured there would be no better jumping-off point than asking “Who is Berryville?” not just now but also in 1938 and 1978.
It’s hard to pinpoint exact populations for those specific years, but the decennial censuses are the best guides we have for the general time period, though the information dates back to 1930, 1970, and 2020 rather than 1938, 1978, and 2025.
In 1938, the Berryville Library was serving the 1,286 residents of Berryville, as well as residents of Carroll County. Forty years later, the town’s population had grown to 2,271. Now in 2025, our population has more than doubled to 5,682. Today, the Berryville Library serves all residents of Carroll County, and we have quite a few patrons from neighboring Arkansas counties and even across the border in Missouri too!
Demographically, Berryville is 60% white, 27% Hispanic, 4.6% Pacific Islander, and 2% Asian. Some of us have ancestors that have been here for generations, while others have just moved here, either from other parts of the US or the world. But we’re all a part of Berryville now!
To that end, we want to know more about where Berryville comes from.
You can answer the prompts at any of our collection stations at the library, the community center, and the historical society. Also feel free to email us your responses and any pictures you have of yourself and/or your family in the 1930s, 1970s, and now at celebrateberryville@gmail.com.
Everyone who fills out the prompt is eligible for our prize drawing. Each month up to five lucky people will win small prizes that celebrate fun things to do, fun places to eat, fun things made–you get the idea–all in Berryville! Responses and photos are also eligible for inclusion in our commemorative book at the end of this project.
Learn more about Celebrate Berryville on our landing page!
Berryville Book Buzz 