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, Pennsylvania 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 barn’s new owner, according to . “I appreciate art and I believe this is a piece of art that can’t be replicated.” Crews are now carefully taking the barn apart piece by piece, and transporting it 17 miles away to , Abel’s 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 . "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."
