Barn Preservation Group Celebrates 10th Anniversary
Published: Friday, July 21, 2023
The Indiana Barn Foundation hosted the largest annual meeting in its 10-year history last Saturday at a farm near Urbana in Wabash County.
Well over 100 people crowded inside the Rustic Barn at Hopewell, owned by Steve and Debbie Conner, to learn the latest about barn preservation. The meeting included a morning panel discussion featuring the stories of barn owners who have completed restoration projects, and then a talk by timber frame expert Rick Collins. The day ended with IBF's annual meeting and a special celebration, complete with cake, to mark the organization's 10th anniversary.
Although the IBF officially started in 2014, the idea for the group was conceived in 2013, according to Kent Yeager, IBF chairman. The nonprofit organization currently has over 450 members.
"We are an all-volunteer organization," he said. "It's challenging to have an all-volunteer, statewide organization, but thanks to you all, and a lot of people like you, we've been growing."
One thing that all IBF members have in common, according to Yeager, is that they love historic barns. Through the efforts of the barn foundation, "we have a chance to make a difference in saving them," he said.
Grants are available to help barn owners get started with their renovations, but that only covers a fraction of the overall cost.
The Conners' bank barn, built somewhere between 1880 to 1900, is a prime example of what can happen when an owner decides to preserve a unique piece of history. They converted the deteriorating structure into a modern wedding venue, complete with dressing rooms. The house and barn were once owned by Debbie's grandparents, Charles and Helen Shear. They used it as a dairy barn.
By the time Steve and Debbie acquired the property, the main floor had rotted away and the foundation was falling apart. Relying on a team of Amish workers, the Conners poured a new basement floor, with a drain, and reset the main support beams on new concrete columns. New foundations were also added.
"We started in 2018, and each year we do a little bit more," said Debbie.
Old floorboards and barn doors were repurposed and used for interior walls, Debbie said. New floors and lighting were installed in what is now the reception hall. The milking area was turned into the groom quarters, but some of the stanchions are still in place. Other additions included a storage room, warming kitchen and upstairs restroom.
The Rustic Barn at Hopewell has 9,000 square feet of space and consists of an exhibition hall, reception hall, cake room and sitting area, bride and groom dressing rooms and a dance floor. There is also space on the outside, where, on chilly fall evenings, small groups can gather around a fire pit and share conversation.
While Debbie and Steve have invested approximately $400,000 into the restoration, business is good. The barn is rented out nearly every weekend from April through November, and Debbie said she has only a few available dates in 2024.
In addition to weddings, the barn hosts class reunions, graduation events, corporate meetings and other gatherings.
Speakers talked about having a passion for barn preservation. Debbie shares that passion, although she admits to being somewhat "project-out."
"I have a friend who has a barn down in Kokomo, and he said these barns are big old museums," Debbie said. "And he is exactly right. It's an awesome way to share something like this every weekend."
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