Barn Again!

Barn Again!. . , This historic barn is a proud symbol of Hancock County's rich agricultural heritage. Originally built around the 1850's, probably by the McKinnis family who settled the farmstead, this English style, three bay barn has been reconstructed using 70% of the original timber and stones from the old foundation., The barn was first used to store grain and farm tools. Over the years it was adapted to house animals. Timber framing methods such as mortise and tenon joints made sturdy buildings that would last more than a lifetime., Old northwestern Ohio barns like this one typically have large center doors and are raised off the ground. Many vents or openings in the siding were used for ventilation to dry grain. Without windows, the inside was kept cool and dark to preserve farm goods. The roof was originally covered with wooden shingles. Then they were covered over with metal roofing to better protect the barn. The restroom addition was blended with the barn design like an old milkhouse or workshed., Findlay area Kiwanis club members, Park District staff, and a local barn builder, dismantled the original structure and reconstructed this barn on the same site during 1992-1993. White oak beams with poplar siding and flooring were obtained from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Forestry. A "barn raising" was held on June 5, 1993, and the barn was opened to the public in 1995. As part of a program with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the McKinnis-Litzenberg barn is "Barn-Again."