You’re now standing in front of the Berger-Graham House, perched right up here on one of the highest points in Jonesboro-so, if you start to feel dizzy, just blame the altitude! This striking brick home, with its eighteen-inch-thick walls, was built in 1904, when people were serious about their bricks-and apparently about their celebrations too. Marcus Berger, a wealthy businessman, built this impressive place as a wedding present for his son Joseph. Talk about setting a high bar for wedding gifts-suddenly that blender doesn’t seem so impressive, does it?
Even from the sidewalk, you can’t miss that huge round arch over the main entrance, almost like the house is giving you a dramatic welcome. The home blends Classical Revival style with touches of Richardsonian Romanesque-a style you usually find in castles. It’s pretty fitting, since the house has stood like a fortress for over a century.
By 1909, the key changed hands to W.H. Graham, a cotton broker who probably spent his days dreaming of white gold. When the Great Depression hit, though, dreams got drowsy-and the house transformed into a boarding house. So within these walls, laughter, hope, and maybe a little desperation all found a place to stay. Now honored on the National Register of Historic Places since 1985, the Berger-Graham House stands as a proud survivor, towering above Jonesboro and brimming with stories from every high and low.
