My first recollection of the old Meier’s barn was from the school bus window as we passed it every day on the way to school in the late '50s and early '60s. State routes 3 and 36 bisected the Meier’s property, and both house and barn sat very close to the highway on their respective sides of the road. That was nearly 60 years ago. Even back then, the barn was in rough shape. Years later, when I moved back to the community, I could see the years had taken their toll and the barn was not long for this world.

Fast forward to 2009, and something was happening to the old barn. At first I thought it was being torn down, but no! It was being moved. Putting on my investigative hat, I set out to find what the future had in store for this wonderful old timber-frame barn.

The 50-acre portion of the Meier farm, on the east side of the highway, was purchased by Janet and Steve Thompson. Janet was an old friend from church, so I gave her a call. As the story goes, their intention was to farm the acreage. They never gave a thought to the circa 1850s barn and planned to burn it to clear the land. But it seemed other family members had another idea. Both the Thompson and Anderson families are large, and it was a problem having family get togethers as no one had a house big enough to accommodate them all. So, the idea was put forth to use the barn as a family gathering place. And from there the story grew and grew.

The floor plan was sketched, taking into consideration wishes from the family as this new family gathering place began to come together as a place for all ages to enjoy. From the beginning of this journey, the Thompsons patiently did their research and worked closely with the county and state through all stages of the construction to ensure all requirements were being met. Each step was carefully considered for safety and use: wiring for electric, plumbing for kitchen and restrooms, insulation and heating for comfort.

They contracted with an Amish friend to move the barn back from the road 125 feet. The shed on the back had collapsed, so it was removed. All historical materials removed from the structure were saved and used in the repair and remodeling. In the process of setting the barn on a new foundation, the frame was elevated to provide ample head room on the ground floor. The hand-hewn timber-frame was repaired according to proper timber framing methods, maintaining the historical integrity of the barn. The rear shed was rebuilt. A large beam was required for one big repair. The current owners of the Anderson’s old family-farm, up the hill, donated a hewn timber from one of their structures for this purpose, and to serve as a link between generations.

A wide-open oak-staircase flows between the two levels. The ground level includes a catering kitchen, restroom, and meeting and banquet area. The upper level has a restroom, a lounging area with comfortable furniture and a large screen TV, and ping pong, pool and air hockey tables.

REAL BARNBURNER: THE THOMPSONS EVENTUALLY STARTED AN EVENT BARN BUSINESS DUE TO THE INTEREST IN THE SPACE THAT THEIR RENOVATIONS SPARKED.

Outdoor amenities include a basketball court, fire ring, outdoor grill and plenty of space for parking.

As construction progressed and neared completion, word spread about the barn. The Thompsons began to receive requests to rent the facility for various events, which eventually lead to an event barn business. If you would like to rent this unique facility please visit the website for The Barn, thebarnmvoh.com, for available times and information.

If you have a unique historic barn, contact Pam Gray, [email protected], or 740-263-1369.