Counting Down to an Historic Conference!

In just one month, historic barn enthusiasts from across the country will gather in Pennsylvania to celebrate these icons of farmstead buildings.  We are expecting people to travel to Berks County from states as far away as the Midwest, and perhaps further.  As the pioneers traveled westward, so did the skills for building barns.  But, the frequency of the styles of barns we take for granted in Pennsylvania diminishes dramatically once you cross our Commonwealth’s and our neighboring states’ boundaries.  Our state is fortunate to have a treasure chest of old barns, most of which are still in terrific condition despite their century or greater age status.

My passion for old barns has been the focus of much of my “spare time” for the past twelve months.  I have been working with people far more knowledgeable than myself about these historic buildings as we joined energies to launch the Historic Barn and Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania, a non-profit organization to record and preserve historic barns in Pennsylvania.  Soon after we had formally kicked off our Foundation, we were asked to co-host the 2008 national conference.  The National Barn Alliance would be our partners if we agreed to take on the challenge.

The founding group agreed this would be a great opportunity for the Foundation to spread the word about historic barns and their importance in the Keystone State and beyond.  We got started with the task of planning and implementing what we know will be a wonderful event which is coming up next month from June 5-7.

We will be gathering in Kutztown, and partnering with its well-known state university and the Pennsylvania German Cultural Heritage Center.  Dr. Rob Reynolds has played a vital role in coordinating our efforts for higher learning as both a professor and the Heritage Center’s director.  His enthusiasm for these timber-framed tributes to our agrarian heritage is contagious.  Rob has been an asset to our Board and this upcoming conference beyond description.

Key to the success of the Foundation and this year’s conference are the rest of my board members, especially Bob Ensminger and Greg Huber.  Bob and Greg have planned and mapped out a once-in-a-lifetime historic barn tour of the Oley Valley in Berks County.  Both of these men are well-known authors whose subjects are historic Pennsylvania and Dutch-style barns.  With eight special stops on the agenda for Saturday, June 7th our bus tour will be a tremendous opportunity to learn from two of the top experts.  Ensminger and Huber will be joined by two other HBFF of PA board members, Jim Lewars and Phil Pendleton, two respected experts on the history of the region, who will be sharing their knowledge while the buses are traveling from site to site.

During the past year, I have come to realize that people who love barns need lots of time to trade stories about their latest “sweetheart” structures.  Whenever our Foundation board assembles, it takes at least fifteen minutes to refocus the members on business.  They would prefer to keep talking about barns and all their beauty.  With some persistence, I redirect their energy to planning this major conference, with all its details.  With this understanding, our three-day event actually kicks off Thursday evening, June 5th, with an informal reception on the grounds of the Pennylvania German Cultural Heritage Center.  There will be lots of food and conversation for all conference participants.

In between the informal reception and Saturday’s barn tour, we will have an information-packed day on Friday, June 6th, as we congregate in the Student Union Building at Kutztown University to hear panelists, experts, and enthusiasts sharing their knowledge about barn architecture and preservation.  The day will be highlighted by a special dinner tribute to three special barn authors and authorities: centenarian John Heyl, who will be returning to his native Pennsylvania from the state of Maine, Dr. Joseph Glass, and of course Bob Ensminger.  They will be sharing their vast experiences spent studying and documenting old barns.  Having all three of these gentlemen with us next month at Kutztown will be a reunion you won’t want to miss.

So, plan to join us as we celebrate historic barns in Pennsylvania.  For more information about the conference and registration forms, go to the website for the Historic Barn and Farm Foundation of Pennsylvania at www.pahistoricbarns.org.  We’d love for you to join in the fun and fellowship.  See you in Kutztown.

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