History of Berwick
The land comprising Berwick and surrounding areas was deeded in 1799 to British soldiers who had been stationed in Canada and had fought on the side of the American colonies during the Revolutionary War. Since they could not return to Britain, these soldiers became refugees. Sound familiar? That’s where the name “Refugee Road†came from.
One of those soldiers was Colonel James Livingston who was given 1,200 acres from the Scioto River to Big Walnut Creek. Livingston Avenue is name for this Revolutionary War hero. Sir Lawrence divided the land among his sister and brothers and the property was passed down to family heirs until 1924 when it was sold to Frederick Miller of Shady Lane Nursery.
The change in ownership marked the start of home development in Berwick. Johnson Pavey Company built the first homes in 1927. The first house was built at the corner of College Avenue and Brookwood Road. The stone house with its gabled roof was typical of the style of architecture of the late 1920s.
In the 1930s, Berwick was home to a golf course and a dairy farm. In the 1940s, 200 acres of Berwick was developed. Then, in the mid-1950s the community underwent a major metamorphosis as 145 homes were built. Homes, mostly ranch-style, cost $20,000 and up. Most of the lots sold within six hours after the Gabay Development Company put them up for sale!
From the beginning, Berwick was a carefully planned community with wide streets, space for churches and schools and quality home construction. Today, there are around 2,000 homes in Berwick ranging in price from $127,000 to $550,000, with the average sale price in 2016 of $219,682. Many families in Berwick have lived here 30-40 years lending stability to the neighborhood.
Some of those long-time neighbors helped to establish the Berwick Civic Association in 1976. In the past, members of the association have dealt with important issues such as racial steering of homebuyers, zoning changes, school closings, flooding along Bliss Run, and the clean up of Twin Lakes. Most recently, the association has tackled issues of crime, property deterioration, street lighting and zoning changes.
In 1998, Berwick was named as one of the “20 Great Places to Live in Franklin County.â€
Today, as in yesteryears, the Berwick Civic Association remains strongly committed to preserving the quality of residential life in Berwick.