Our Position on Rural Heritage
In partnership with local, state and national organizations, the National Trust helps rural communities protect historic places and implement sustainable, heritage-based development strategies. Conserving our rural heritage helps build more sustainable local economies and increases quality of life.
Submitted by Ed Yagel at: September 1, 2009
Our barn, built in the 1860s and owned by our family since then, is in need of repair or destruction. It is somewhat unique only in that it stands on a brick foundation and has hundreds of names and dates etched into the brick foundation that date back to , at least, to the 1890s. Over the past 120+ years, brick signers on the foundation have ranged from eastern Europe to central China. Our ancestors had those visitors, when they visited the farm, etch their names, dates and addresses into the bricks. Right now the barn is is fairly good shape, but it needs a roof and repainting to preserve it. Are there any financial programs dedicated to preserving very old, albeit unusual structures like we have? I can furnish additional information and/or pictures upon request. We don't have the funds to do a complete restoration on our own but, at the same time, hate to demolish the structure and bury the history that goes along with it. Please advise. Ed and Linda Yagel, 27504 273rd Street, Hinton, Iowa, 51031 Phone 712-938-2107 or 712-540-7090 Email: ed@elyagel.net or linda@elyagel.net