Project Stories

The Restoration of an Auburn PA Barn

Where the hawks fly overhead, and tomahawks and arrowheads lie silently underground in the fields nearby . . . partway up a rusty-red mountain road sits a bank barn.

From Barn Floor to Tabletop 

Picture a majestic bank barn. Wagonloads of hay roll in and out of its yawning doors. The clopping of horse hooves and the shouts of farmhands fill the air. Muscles ripple and pitchforks dig deep while each person participates in preparing for the winter. It’s an act of community and an act of survival. 

Here’s to Another 200 Years

Hand-tooled beams from long ago forests. Timbers from a burnt log cabin. The Clagett barn embodies an entire history of sowing and harvesting, war and peace, hunger and plenty. In 2018, Stefanie and Bert Reiser acquired a piece of the Clagett farm near Knoxville in Washington County, Maryland. This is their story, told by Stefanie.

Treasures from Long Ago

Covered bridges are a deeply loved emblem of Lancaster County. A tangible reminder of a slower-paced, long-ago era. An age of horses and carriages and Model T’s. A time when folks worked hard on their farms and mills and seemed to have more time for each other. 

Visiting Elizabeth Furnace in Lititz, Pennsylvania, is a memorable experience anyone would enjoy. Hearing Craig Coleman, seventh-generation owner, tell stories from the estate’s colonial beginnings makes the experience even richer.

Taking time to make unforgettable memories is important for Stable Hollow owners, Henry and Leroy. For over 13 years, they’ve held an annual 2-day employee getaway to inspire and rejuvenate their team. As the business grew, so did the size of these events. Over one hundred people were attending by 2017. 

Mystery surrounds this little hay barn tucked into the hills of Manchester, Maryland. With no cornerstone to reveal the building date, the owners — John and Melanie Murray — can only speculate about the year the barn was built and the things it has seen in its lifetime.

At first glance, the restored barn at Bally Cliff Farm will strike you as beautiful. But only as you slowly meander through the structure — noticing intricate details of authenticity and listening to owner Jim Clifford’s passion for preserving architectural history — will the richness of the barn truly come alive in your mind.

Lee and Kelly Drosdak are in awe of the historical facts and delightful stories they continue to uncover in and around their restored barn, stories from long before Kelly’s childhood memories of growing up on the farm.

Can two Amish brothers working out of a cow stable build a construction business?

A barn is built

The Kennedy farm began in 1748 when John McDowell brought his family from Ireland and settled in the area. His daughter, Jane McDowell, married Lieutenant Elijah Shoemaker, who later died in the Wyoming Massacre of 1778 along with 300 other settlers. Shortly thereafter, a man, John Shaw, came by the farm to gather supplies for the survivors.

The rich history of Historic Ashland spans back to the 17th century. Originally deeded to William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, Ashland eventually fell into the hands of a man named John Herr. Around 1806, he built the barn of our story, with beams brought up from a nearby sawmill. To ensure easy access to both levels, it was built into the side of a hill. Around the same time, a spring house, chicken barn, and tobacco barn were also built on the property.