Good news for old barn lovers: Instead of being torn down to make way for a new shopping center, a 150-year-old bank-style barn in Manheim Township, PA, is getting a second chance at life.
The barn, built in 1867, features sturdy oak beams and arched windows. One of the treasures of this barn are the beams that are located in it, says David Abel, who is the barns new owner, according to WGAL.com. I appreciate art, and I believe this is a piece of art that cant be replicated.
Crews are now carefully taking the barn apart piece by piece, and transporting it 17 miles away to Ironstone Ranch, Abels events venue. After being reconstructed complete with hand-forged door handles and hinges reproduced to match the originals the 65-foot-tall barn will be used to host wedding receptions, corporate events, and fundraisers.
But while this may seem like a happy ending for the historic barn, Randolph Harris, a former executive director of the local Historic Preservation Trust, is unhappy with the relocation decision. "This whole idea of moving buildings to save them is unfortunate," Harris told LancasterOnline.com. "People think that's a preservation solution. It's not. It's a Disney World approach to dealing with buildings that are irreplaceable. A building is historic in its location where it was built."
An artist's rendering of what the barn which will be named the Cathedral Barn will look like once reassembled at Ironstone Ranch.
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This story originally appeared on CountryLiving.com
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Photo: Courtesy of Ironstone Ranch
