Organizations partner for Lancaster County Barn Tour

Elaine Bowman, board member with the Historical Society of the Cocalico Valley (HSCV) and a member and former executive board member for the Historic Preservation Trust of Lancaster County (HPT), had an idea. Having worked on a few church tours with HSCV about a decade ago, she thought she could bring the two organizations together to create a tour of local outbuildings. "I thought, 'Wouldn't it be fun to hold a barn tour?'" said Bowman, who mulled the idea over for a bit before bringing it to both organizations in late 2022.

Bowman called together a committee that began meeting monthly in January. Members contacted Lancaster County historical societies and municipalities, along with some interested citizens for nominations of barns, and they received more than 100 nominations. "We were looking for not just historical aspects but architectural components that make that barn interesting," said Bowman.

After narrowing down the nominated barns, the result is a booklet Bowman calls "a drive-by tour." "It is timeless," she noted, adding that more than 50 barns are included in the self-guided journey. For each barn, there's a photo of the outside and the inside and a writeup about the history. "Greg Huber, a Berks County barn expert, is doing the architectural writeups for us," said Bowman. The full-color, 8.5-by-11-inch books will be introduced for sale on Saturday, Oct. 21, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Landis Valley Village and Farm Musuem Firehouse, 2451 Kissel Hill Road, Lancaster. The event will also include speakers, and ginger snaps and cider will be served. Sales of the book will benefit both HPT and HSCV.

As a former school principal, Bowman is excited to offer the learning experience to area families. "We are looking to educate folks on our history, our culture, and architectural features of the barns," she said, adding that fall is the perfect time to meander through the back roads of Lancaster County. "You can look at 10 over a weekend and three months later (look at) more," she noted.

Danielle Keperling, HPT executive director, was excited that the two groups partnered for the project. "It works well because it brings the strengths of both groups together," she said, noting that the booklet will raise awareness of the importance of local barns. "The outbuildings on a farm - once you stop farming - are the most endangered," she explained. "From a preservation standpoint, that is good to highlight."

In addition to Keperling, members of the barn tour committee are HPT manager Kristi Stoehr, HPT executive commmittee member Jordan Zimmerman, HSCV vice president Angela Stewart, HSCV treasurer James Brubaker, HSCV researcher and librarian Cynthia Marquet, and HSCV member Brian Chelton with help from Diane Fichthorn.

Readers who would like to learn more about the tour may visit http://www.hptrust.org or http://www.cocalicovalleyhs.org.