To Fix The Barn

[Daveparts]

My family has a discussion going on, whether to fix my Uncle’s old barn. It was a huge old three-story barn, a left over relic when my uncle bought the property he never farmed the property but he kept horses so the building did have some purpose. All of our families except for Uncle were city people. None of us were from around there we came from all over, so to us city kids that barn was a magical place. A three-story playhouse, with stairways, ladders and trap doors. So large we played Frisbee and even wiffle ball inside it and upstairs it was complete with indoor rope swing. We played hide an go seek and don’t know for sure we ever found everyone. So much room the boys would play upstairs and the girls down or vice versa but there was always room for everyone.

Now my Uncle was getting on in age and wants to move on and the question was, is the barn an asset or an eyesore could it or should it be repaired and saved? Or should they just tear it down and sell the hand-hewn beams as architectural heirlooms. When it was built it was an incredible endeavor, easily over a hundred years old hand made with hand tools by craftsmen who put more than sweat into their work with concerns of more than just payday. It was so old and needed so much repair, it would cost a fortune. But should their toil and efforts be torn down to be sold off as mere novelties? Wasn’t their effort to build such a structure with only their bare hands in the wilderness worthy of note and salvation?

With money we didn’t have and couldn’t recoup, but we loved the place it was precious to our hearts for us as children it was freedom it was our free country. To adults it was just a dirty old barn they didn’t like it, as it was off the muddy path from the house to them it was just a way to keep us kids out of their hair, a means to and end so it was all ours we could do what we liked. I will never get to play there again but if torn down no one will. The children of future generations will miss so much and never taste the freedom that existed there once. Was it past its prime and just too late or could it be saved?

The cynical among us said its just and old barn and not worth saving an impediment to their plans and just in the way, to hell with it! They claimed it wasn’t safe that barriers and signs should be put up to restrict access to it. Was the structure unsafe? Or did they just envy what they couldn’t control? The said it was out of date, obsolete a relic of past glories, that the world had moved on and that these structures were holding the future back

Some of us saw it only as a resource what we could get out of it, to hell with future generations take the money and run. I in my idealism thought of the joy to have had this place in my life. Didn’t I owe anything to future generations? Hadn’t they preserved it for me at great expense? I can still close my eyes and think back to those times and remember to feel for just one second what it was like to be free and joyous.

The debate goes on, to fix a beautiful old white barn a useful structure from an earlier time and return her to her former glory, to tear her down to say her days are done, or just let her collapse under the weight of neglect denial and self interest. But as I close my eyes and think of her now I see in fading paint barely legible on it’s side in tall letters it read The United States of America.

[jwirr]

1. I played in a barn like that also and you warm my heart just talking

about it. What you might do before you make the final decision is get in touch with a group that preserves historical buildings. I suspect there are not many barns like that anymore. They might be interested in helping to preserve it.

[Donnachaidh]

2. Fix it!

We're too quick to tear down old treasures and replace them with crap. I see that all the time in my area. Some jackass decided he wanted to get rid of a wonderful old farmhouse (100 years or older) that had handhewn floors, 9 foot ceilings, etc. The place was gorgeous, but in need of some cosmetic repair. He tore it down! I was stunned! And he replaced it with a McMansion with NO style or grace.

Hang on to that piece of history. It's worth it.

[bahrbearian]

3. I saw a show where a builder would take apart old barns ,and

move them, then build them into houses, way cool.

[tech3149]

4. I'll preface my reponse by stating my POV

My parents are still living in the house my grandfather raised his family in. It's a tired old mining town and the property value will never go up or down much from where it is now. I don't think it could ever sell for as much as I or my siblings think it's worth. Being able to take care of and enjoy the place where I grew up means too much to me to let it go.

If the property doesn't have any emotional meaning to you or your family, I'd consider two options. Most buildings of that era were built with much better materials than you'd get from Lowes. Get an idea how much it would cost to restore it to useable condition. Then get an idea of how much you could get by selling off the lumber to builders that love to use seasoned lumber for high-dollar homes.

For myself, I'd rather keep some of the old buildings around for historical value, the only question is if you can afford it.