Romich - McKelvey Farm Barn Restoration

 

2018 and Earlier

2020

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The Romich-McKelvey Farm is located at 13875 Cleveland Road, Creston, Ohio 44217, directly across the road from Norwayne Elementary School. The barn was built in 1886, fourteen years after the construction of the brick farmhouse. The style of the barn, as referenced in Ohio Barns: Inside and Out, is a raised flatland barn with an earthen ramp. (Pam Whitney Gray visited mid-project and her bumper sticker was noted.)

The center part of the second floor was not very high, so the barn bank didn't need to be very long. The hay mows on both sides were elevated another couple feet, presumably to provide more headroom below.

The dairy barn, on the right in the above photos, was added in 1950 and was configured with thirty stanchions, half on each side of a central aisle with a powered gutter cleaner. The bulk tank was located in the milkhouse attached to the other end of the building and a concrete block silo was added on the back.

The photos above were taken roughly west southwest of the barn, so the bank side of the barn faces west toward the north-south road. When originally constructed, it is believed that the barn was a showplace. While the general appearance had been well maintained, time had taken its toll. Much of the siding had deteriorated. (See photo of inside south wall below.) Siding boards would occasionally just fall off when the old square nails finally rusted through, creating a safety hazard. Powder post beetles had discovered the barn. Masonry needed attention.

The decision was made to invest in restoration. This is counter to the more common destiny of barns of this vintage, since they are not really a good fit with modern day farming operations. But this barn was not typical and was highly visible on a well traveled highway.

As an example, of the value to the community, during the restoration process this photo was the second-place winner in the Medina County Convention & Visitors Bureau 2019 Photo Contest and appeared in the Medina Gazette. It was taken by Donna Cole from the back on a motorcycle, as can be seen in the shadow at the bottom of the photo.

The project manager chosen for restoration was Christian and Son of Burbank, Ohio. Rudy and Laura Christian agreed to take on the project. They have a national and international reputation doing this kind of work and so having them so close, about six miles away, was a real blessing. Click here to see a recent recognition of Rudy by Friends of Ohio Barns. Click here to see coverage of work done in New Paltz, New York.

The wooden silo on the front of the barn was not original, but had been added before the property was acquired by the Romich family in the 1930s. At one point there had been two wooden silos. Originally, there had been two windows in the brick walls on each side of the barn bank. The window to the right of the barn bank had been converted into a door for access to the silo. The silo was leaning and it was taken down early in the project. The word "CYPRESS" was found stenciled on the inside of some of the wood silo staves. More on this later. The restoration project included returning the door back to the original window, using the wood casing and sandstone sill that had been saved for roughly a hundred years.

Not seen in these photos is the straw shed that had been added to the back of the barn sometime during the first fifty years. The original configuration would have had an upper level door that could be opened on the back of the barn to promote air flow during threshing. Originally, there would have been a large pile of straw on the ground behind the barn. Again, the straw shed was added sometime in the first fifty years. Two vertical timbers were cut out to create a wide opening into the straw shed. Replacement of these timbers was early in the restoration process.

Two of the images in this 1997 WAYNE COUNTY, OHIO BARNS poster are of this barn.

Holiday decoration.

The wreath is eight feet in diameter. The owner made it a few years before the restoration. The frame is half inch steel conduit: a four foot diameter inner circle and the larger outer circle. Arcs connect the two and the welded frame was covered with chicken wire. Then that was covered with artificial turf from the local school that was destined for the landfill. It hangs from stainless steel cables and stainless steel hooks screwed into the timber above the door. Additional cables secure it at the bottom so that wind does not push it against the door.

Vintage Successful Farming Cover and SWP ad

Ventilators and Trim

Timbers

Siding and Flooring

Roof and Lightning Rods

Masonry

Doors and Windows

Contacts and Resources

 

Return to Romich Foundation

This site was first posted 12-1-2019. Restoration work is now complete. Most recent update: 1-5-2022.