Members of the Oakland Township Historical Society will raise on Aug. 21 the timber frame of a 1870s barn they carefully dismantled in March. Rain date is Aug. 22.
Barnwright Steve Stier directed the dismantling and will direct the Society Barn Crew of volunteers in the manual reconstruction. Volunteers will use the same methods to raise the barn framing as the original barnwright John Flumerfelt, who farmed in Oakland Township.
The new barn location is in Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District, 16 acres at 384-388 West Predmore Road. The historic district is part of township-owned Cranberry Lake Park, 191-acre natural park bordering Cranberry Lake and between Predmore Road and Romeo Road.
Thirty committed volunteer workers are needed to work with Stier. Currently there are 10.
The 1870s gable barn came to light when Silverman Development Company planned to demolish the old Kern Nursery/Peters farm buildings on West Gunn Road. A OTHS barn survey team identified and documented the barn as important in its township-wide survey taken in 2002-03
The Flumerfelt barn has unusual characteristics that make it worth all the preservation effort. It has wooden post and beam framing with mortise and tenon joints held with wooden pegs.
An unusual stone pattern foundation was found under the barn floor as well. It was an intricate pattern of thick wood timbers and rocks that were interlocked like a puzzle to add support to the floor. OTHS plans to reconstruct a visible section.
The barn-raising project is already drawing the attention of passing motorists along Predmore Road. Currently the barn crew is organizing the stored beams into sections and repairing any that need work. They are also making more wooden pegs to replace missing ones.
If you are interested in working on the barn, will sign a waiver, and can be on site Aug. 21 at 9 a.m., call 248-651-8715 or e-mail: claygro@juno.com.
Spectators are welcome. Children activities on site. Parking available.
OTHS will have refreshments, food, baked goods and items for sale, plus more information about the barn and farmstead as well as the park. The park has trails and OTHS will arrange tours of the historic district farmstead.
Donations for the project are welcome. OTHS has raised 75 percent of the project cost, but needs $6,000 more to complete the work.