2017 Barn Tour
Description
The historic barns on the 2017 Barn Tour.
Peter Heldman settled this land in 1834 for his daughter and son-in-law, Louis Luneack. This German forebay bank barn was built in the 1870s or ‘80s. It remained in the same family until it was purchased by Marion and Ida Bower in 1958. The large barn is built with a combination of hand-hewn and sawn lumber. The metal hay track and original wood shake shingles are visible on the interior. The substantial stone foundation and basement walls are of note. Caleb and Carlie vonStein purchased the farm this spring, and have quickly begun efforts to stabilize and preserve the barn. (c. 1870s-'80s)
This four-bay, English ground barn was built sometime shortly after 1855, when the farm was settled to Adam Gossman Jr. It remained in the Gossman family until 1928, when it was purchased by Marion and Ida Bower. The Bower family made many improvements to the old barn, including a new roof that prominently displays the family name. The original wood shake shingles are still visible underneath. Miles and Melissa vonStein purchased the property from the Bower family in 2013 and use the barn to house steers and for hay/straw storage. (c.1850s-1860s)
This truly unique barn documents an incredible evolution! The barn was originally built as a raised, forebay barn (c.1860s) and was later lowered to the ground where a large addition was built onto the rear of the structure (sometime after 1900). Evidence of this change can be seen above the doors, with the old header (hewn) and the newer header (sawn). The original decorative center post was cut down when the barn was lowered and can now be seen in the basement holding-up the floor of the addition. Loo to see if you can uncover any more signs of this surprising transformation! (c.1860s)
Jeff and Pam Pepple are the owners of this state-designated Sesquicentennial Farm that has been in Pam's family since 1848 when it was purchased by her great-great-grandfather, Anthony Glick. The main barn likely dates to the 1850s or '60s and is primarily hand-hewn with circular-sawn scantlings (small braces). It is particularly well-built, with double bracing and decorative posts. At one time, another barn was moved from across the road (family legend claims with just one horse!) and added to the rear. (c. 1850s-'60s).
This farm has been in Leanne Bateson's family since her grandparents, Andy and Emeline Pifer, purchased it in 1930. The land was originally settled by Napoleon Martz in 1834. The barn was build by the Martz family sometime in the early 1870s. It was originally located on the south side of the nearby catalpa grove. When it was moved to its current location, another bent was added to the west side. The addition is mostly sawn while the original frame is primarily hewn. (c. 1870s).
Considered to be a true English ground barn, the design of this structure is somewhat uncommon for this part of the country. The barn was built in the early 1860s by David Houdeshell. It is mostly hand-hewn with some smaller sawn braces and a wooden hay track. Originally, the barn had a bull pen and dairy stalls with stanchions and wooden head gates. The farm passed from the Houdeshell family to the Retting family in 1888, and remained in the Retting family for nearly 100 years until it was purchased by William and Angela Bateson in 1987. The Bateson's added the livestock shed and have adapted the barn to function for their beef operation.