Bicentennial Barn holds July 5 open house

From staff reports

Leelanau residents and visitors are invited to lock eyes with General George Washington, pay homage to the nation’s 250th birthday, and celebrate an historic Leelanau County barn that is now receiving a new round of tender loving care.

Scott and Tamara Stone, residents of southeast Michigan who two years ago purchased the Bicentennial Barn on M-22 and Bohemian Road, 7.5 miles northeast of Glen Arbor, will host a rededication open house on Sunday, July 5, from 11 am until 4 pm.

They won’t deliver any grand speeches or declare independence from a tyrant king across the ocean, but they’ll recap their restoration of the barn and repainting of murals last year with the community’s support, narrate the history of the property, and share their plans for building a new farmhouse.

In March the Michigan Barn Preservation Network awarded Leelanau’s Bicentennial Barn and five other barns the title of “barn of the year.” The Stones’ property shared the award in the “family adaptive use” category with the Kangas Farm Barn in Ontonagon County in the western Upper Peninsula.

“A lot of work went into restoring the barn on the property since last April, including all the outside preparation and painting that was completed in September and October,” shared Scott. “The timber-framed structure was in relatively good condition, but the rest of the barn was in rough shape.”

Scott estimates he has personally spent around 450 hours on this project so far.

“Despite the hours it’s been rewarding and fulfilling work. While there is still some minor work to be done most of the hard stuff is completed.”