Townsend barn ready for a facelift
One of Sussex County's most iconic barns is getting a little work done. Crews from Yoder & Sons Construction will be on site mid-August to restore the exterior of the historic structure.
The project is expected to be completed by the fall. Most of the overgrowth has already been removed as work is set to begin. Renovations include new roof shingles, all new windows, new doors, a fresh coat of paint, new cedar shake siding on the gable ends and electrical service. The barn's two silos will be treated and painted. Two new cupolas will be added to the roof.
Paul Townsend, president of J.G. Townsend Jr. and Co., owner of the property, said “We are refurbishing the barn, trying to prevent it from becoming a fallen down structure. It's all about preservation of that barn, so that as history unfolds in the next 5, 10, 15 years the barn will be stable and able to weather another big storm.”
Townsend did not offer a cost figure for the renovation. J.G. Townsend Jr. and Co. is funding the project, but Jack Lingo Realtor has also been involved since the project's inception.
J. Michael Yoder, president of Yoder & Sons, said he is well aware how people view the barn.
“This is something in the community people are pretty passionate about,” he said. “I feel honored [J.G. Townsend] has chosen us to do this. I don't take that responsibility lightly.”
Yoder said this project isn't especially unusual for his company, as his crews often take on large renovations or complete rebuilds. Because this structure is significant and important to the community, though, he said, he felt an obligation to give back.
“I feel like a business should not just be about the bottom line,” he said. “I'm not donating my services, but the margins for this aren't anywhere they would be normally.”
J.G. Townsend purchased the property where the barn sits from William H. Virden in September 1941. The Virden property abuts the Bookhammer farm, which Townsend bought less than a year earlier in December 1940. There is no longer a distinct line between the two properties.
Through conversations with friends and family, Townsend said, he believes the barn was moved to its existing location from Cedar Grove Road, although when that occurred is unknown. It was designed as a dairy barn – with very low ceilings – and was used for that purpose until the 1990s.
At one time, there was also a house on the property in front of the barn, home to Frank Mitchell, who farmed the land for the Townsend company. It was later sold and moved to Shipcarpenter Square in Lewes.
Over the years, the barn has seen many uses. It was leased out to companies seeking space east of Route 1, but it also served as a fueling operation for Townsend's tractors.
About 30 years ago, a new roof was put on the barn. At the time, Townsend said, he was told it would last about 25 years. Right on cue, the barn's roof began to fail about five years ago, he said, causing the section farthest from Kings Highway to leak and rot.
There are no immediate plans to renovate the interior. When a use for the barn comes into better focus, then, he said, the company can move forward with repairs.
Townsend asks that people respect the property and not trespass in the area.
