Rainy Days and Mondays

Berry College in Georgia holds the title of the world’s largest contiguous college campus at 27,000 acres (about 42 square miles), far surpassing others like West Point (~16,000 acres).

Founded in 1902 by Martha Berry as the Boys Industrial School (later expanding to include girls and becoming Berry College), it began on 83 acres she inherited from her father.

Through relentless fundraising, donations from philanthropists (including Henry Ford and others), and strategic land purchases—often farms, forests, and rural properties in northwest Georgia—the institution steadily acquired surrounding acreage.

By the 1930s, it owned thousands of acres, emphasizing self-sufficiency, work-study programs, and conservation. This gradual expansion, tied to its mission of education and stewardship, made it the largest by far.