ROUND BARN
Hundreds turn out for landmark’s centennial
Cliff White
October 17, 2010 4:49pm EDT
POTTER TOWNSHIP — Saturday was not an average, quiet day for life on the farm at Neff’s Round Barn.
The barn, an iconic and enduring symbol of rural farm life in central Pennsylvania, was celebrating its 100th birthday, and it seemed like the whole county came out to join in the festivities.
Many of the hundreds — if not thousands — of people who visited the barn Saturday said they couldn’t pass up a rare chance to see inside the landmark they’ve admired from afar for generations.
“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never been inside,” said Don Wilkins, of Centre Hall. “I figured I’d take the opportunity.”
Despite the best efforts of volunteers from the Progress Grange such as Ralph Homan, who gave tours constantly from
9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., the line to get inside snaked nearly down to state Route 45, and some people reported spending more than an hour in line. Not that the waiting discouraged anyone.
“I’ve driven by this barn all my life. I just wanted to see the place,” said Ernie Long, of Millheim.
Built in 1910 by Calvin Neff, the barn is one of a kind, as Neff hired a local carpenter who built it without the use of any blueprints, according to Homan. The barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and almost every wood plank inside dates back to the original building.
In addition to being a beautiful structure — one of the most photographed landmarks in the county — the 6,000-square-foot barn is also an example of the use of technology and innovation in agriculture, said event organizer LeDon Young, who was also giving tours. The barn was state of the art at the time, including a system that fed supply grain and hay from the upper level of the barn to the lower level, where livestock were kept.
John Niebauer, of State College, said the wait was well worth the reward.
“To get an inside look at a piece of history, it was absolutely worth it,” he said.
After the tour, visitors also had a chance to admire a miniature model of the barn, peruse photographs and paintings, and check out the replica cakes that enthusiastic fans of the Round Barn made for the centennial celebration.
Young wasn’t surprised so many local people had come to check out the barn.
“This valley was settled for farming, and many people here still feel a strong attachment to that way of life, and this barn epitomizes that,” Young said. “It’s a part of our heritage.”
CDT/Michelle Bixby
Ralph Homan gives a tour of the Round Barn in Centre Hall on Saturday, Oct. 16, 2010. The public was invited to celebrate the 100th birthday of the historical Centre County landmark. CDT/Michelle Bixby
Many of the hundreds — if not thousands — of people who visited the barn Saturday said they couldn’t pass up a rare chance to see inside the landmark they’ve admired from afar for generations.
“I’ve lived here all my life and I’ve never been inside,” said Don Wilkins, of Centre Hall. “I figured I’d take the opportunity.”
Despite the best efforts of volunteers from the Progress Grange such as Ralph Homan, who gave tours constantly from
9:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., the line to get inside snaked nearly down to state Route 45, and some people reported spending more than an hour in line. Not that the waiting discouraged anyone.
“I’ve driven by this barn all my life. I just wanted to see the place,” said Ernie Long, of Millheim.
Built in 1910 by Calvin Neff, the barn is one of a kind, as Neff hired a local carpenter who built it without the use of any blueprints, according to Homan. The barn is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and almost every wood plank inside dates back to the original building.
In addition to being a beautiful structure — one of the most photographed landmarks in the county — the 6,000-square-foot barn is also an example of the use of technology and innovation in agriculture, said event organizer LeDon Young, who was also giving tours. The barn was state of the art at the time, including a system that fed supply grain and hay from the upper level of the barn to the lower level, where livestock were kept.
John Niebauer, of State College, said the wait was well worth the reward.
“To get an inside look at a piece of history, it was absolutely worth it,” he said.
After the tour, visitors also had a chance to admire a miniature model of the barn, peruse photographs and paintings, and check out the replica cakes that enthusiastic fans of the Round Barn made for the centennial celebration.
Young wasn’t surprised so many local people had come to check out the barn.
“This valley was settled for farming, and many people here still feel a strong attachment to that way of life, and this barn epitomizes that,” Young said. “It’s a part of our heritage.”
Read more: http://www.centredaily.com/2010/10/17/2276594/hundreds-turn-out-for-landmarks.html#ixzz12ibCyVP4
