Fascinatingly, five years after the barn’s construction, it witnessed the heartbreaking intensity of the Civil War. On September 14, 1862, the Battle of South Mountain occurred. Fox's Gap — only 2 ½ miles from Lee and Kelly’s property — was one of the three gaps where Union and Confederate soldiers squared off that day. When the retreat occurred, every barn for miles around was used as a field hospital. Fresh air and proximity to clean water, both necessary for the operation of a field hospital, abounded. Bullets and other war relics have been found around the original farmhouse, only 100 yards from the barn. Were the etchings in the white cream marble of the barn's wall created by wounded soldiers passing time? Lee and Kelly will probably never know for sure, but the possibility is very high.
The road running past the barn — though quiet today — was the main road of commerce between Boonsboro and Rohrersville, Maryland. The Civil War troops undoubtedly traveled its length. Records prove that the famous American abolitionist, John Brown, likely spent time in the area, and native American relics have been found on the land surrounding the barn. Lee and Kelly stand in awe at the rich history surrounding their barn.
In 2018, Lee and Kelly met Elizabeth Snyder Lowe, a descendant of Jacob Snyder. Elizabeth and her son, John, were on their way to visit the Snyder family cemetery on the adjoining farm. They stopped to see Kelly and to share how pleased they were that the barn wasn’t falling victim to the hands of time. Amazingly, Elizabeth, a historian, had written The Roots and Branches of the Jacob Snyder Family Tree, which Kelly had already studied. Two and a half years later, their friendship with Elizabeth has proved invaluable as they continue to uncover interesting tidbits of history and share the same passion for the barn’s future.