Work complete on Townsend barn
The iconic Townsend barn on Kings Highway has come a long way over the last year.
Before restoration work began in 2015, the roof of the old barn was collapsing, the floor of the loft was unstable, overgrown shrubs and vines began to take over and the interior featured collection of junk accumulated over many years. But J. Michael Yoder was up to the task of bringing the barn back to life.
Paul Townsend, president of J.G. Townsend Jr. and Co., owner of the property, said Yoder approached him and Jack Lingo Realtor about renovating and restoring the barn, and offered a competitive price. Over the course of the next year, the project morphed into a full restoration of the barn, not only making the barn structurally sound, but also adding new amenities that will be an asset to the property in the future.
The roof of the barn was moved to its current location from Cedar Grove Road in the 1940s. A sister barn once stood as well, but it fell during a hurricane many years ago.
Once on site, a foundation and structure was built for the barn and the roof was placed on top.
The barn has since been renovated, but only to continue serving as an agricultural barn. Townsend said shingles started falling off almost immediately after the 25-year warranty ran out.
“Then the holes opened up and the rain started coming in,” he said.
Eventually, Mother Nature took its toll on the barn, and something had to be done to save it.
Yoder, president of Yoder & Sons, took on the monumental task of restoring the barn. Work included all new Anderson windows, doors, electric service, a well and water system, sheathing and roof shingles. The two silos were sandblasted and repainted as part of the facelift.
To add a little flair, Yoder had three cupolas custom-built by Menno’s Woodwork in Greenwood. The centerpiece features a large full-bodied goose weathervane made out of bronze. The goose has a 48-inch wingspan and weighs about 1,200 pounds.
For the floor of the barn loft, John Yoder, a Dover-based Amish worker, personally laid 4,500-square feet of 2-by-6 tongue and groove pine floors in the July heat. The project took him a few weeks, as he completed about 400 square feet per day.
“It felt like I was sweeping a gym floor,” J. Michael Yoder joked.
Townsend said there are no immediate plans for the barn. The nearly 5-acre parcel zoned agricultural-residential and they are not legally allowed to rent the barn for weddings or private functions. If they want to use it for a commercial purpose, they would not only need approvals from Sussex County, but they would also need to adhere to Department of Transportation, fire marshal and other agency requirements.
The barn can be used for weddings or parties for family or friends, so long as no money changes hands. It was used in just that capacity earlier this year, when a Lingo realtor had a wedding and reception at the barn.
Townsend said the wedding was the impetus for adding the final touches, which among other things included ceiling fans for better air circulation and site work, including the laying of sod, for the outdoor ceremony and parking.
