Reviving a Century-Old Barn in Clark County
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Sitting in a green pasture south of Kahoka is a barn that’s over 100 years old. The weathered boards, some rotting away, give the structure its character. Traces of old paint still cling to the wood, red from one era, white from another.
Many barns like this can be found throughout Clark County. Some are still in use, while others are slowly decaying, their roofs collapsing and vines creeping over their frames. Each barn tells a story, and the craftsmanship behind them is a testament to the builders of the past.
This barn, however, is getting a second chance.
From its hand-hewn beams to the way it was assembled without modern machinery, it’s clear that a great deal of care and skill went into its original construction.
Wanting to preserve the barn, Shawn McAfee made the decision to save it rather than replace it with a new building. The foundation under the barn was crumbling, and it had begun to shift. Time had taken its toll, especially on some of the posts and exterior boards. The barn is pinned together with wooden pegs and supported by posts along the outer walls and down the center of the structure.
The decision to preserve the original barn set in motion a restoration project. To carry out the work, Shawn hired Enos Mullet and his sons from Milton, Iowa. Their task was no small one: raise the barn, install a new, solid foundation, and complete structural repairs while maintaining the integrity of the original design.
It took Enos and his crew just two days to raise the barn eight feet into the air. They removed the original foundation, mostly flat stones, and poured a new, sturdy concrete footing. Concrete walls are being added for the support posts and walls to rest on.
The barn will be raised about eight inches from its original level to help keep the structure off the ground. The crew will remove the lower six inches of the existing posts, replace any damaged ones, and add new center posts to better support the loft. Once those updates are complete, they will carefully lower the barn onto its new foundation.
Exterior improvements will follow, including the addition of metal siding and new doors designed to shield the interior from the elements. When the barn is finished, it will be ready for a new chapter, providing shelter for livestock and storage for hay.
While its appearance may change slightly with the new materials, the core of the structure, and the history it represents, will remain intact. The restoration blends old and new, preserving the barn’s original bones while reinforcing it for the future generations.
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