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project. The use of the massive crane alone
was worth thousands of dollars. Many
of the local men working the crane also
had personal connections to the barn or
the Lund family, and they were happy to
donate their time to help out. This was
an extraordinary personal favor to the
owners and changed everything for them.
Donations, volunteer labor and in-kind
contributions qualify for matching grants.
The Clinesmiths signed the grant papers
right away. On Jan. 28, 2011, the crane
operator, Marvin Meise, another former
Benge local, came to lift the center section
of the barn. The Clinesmiths expected that
slowly lifting the roof in one piece would
take many days. The process had many
(Above) Custom-built windows by master craftsman
Leon Avery are modeled after the originals. (Below)
The underside of the center section. Workers preserved
as much of the original wood as possible during
the restoration.
Roy and Karin Clinesmith stand in the door of the Lund Barn.
unknowns, most importantly whether or not the old wood could sustain
the pressure of being lifted without shattering. Fortunately, winter conditions
created the perfect scenario with the wet wood becoming pliable.
By the afternoon of the same day, the center section of the roof was dangling
over the foundation, and the work on the walls could begin. For two
weeks, the walls were rebuilt and stabilized before the roof was replaced.
Meise admits that the day the crane supports were removed was a very
nervous one for him. Footage of the miraculous lift is available at
www.youtube.com, under the search “Lund Barn Raising.”
All grant recipients, including the Clinesmiths, worked closely
throughout the entire process with Chris Moore, the field director for the
Washington Trust for Historic Preservation.
“Washington State was great to work with. Chris was super. We learned
a lot through it, and I think they learned a lot, too,” Karin said. After passing
inspections and waiting patiently, they received reimbursement for
half of the total, as agreed. Seeing the barn in its beautiful state today, few
would argue that it wasn’t all worth it.
Master craftsman, Leon Avery, of Colfax, Wash., restored the windows
of the Lund Barn to their previous, simple beauty. He doesn’t charge much
because, “it’s only a barn.” The Clinesmiths considered his skill absolutely
critical to the beauty of the finished product. Avery is also working on
the Coon family sheep shed, two miles away, which is another Heritage
Barn Rehabilitation grant project. The sheep shed is still in the middle
of its restoration, and, like the Clinesmiths, the Coons are utilizing the
Adams County Historical Society’s 501c3 status account for tax-deductible
donations.
To be eligible to receive grant money for stabilizing roofs, foundations
and structural elements, barns must be visible from a publicly accessible
road. If not clearly visible from the road, barn owners must agree to open
their barns to the public for as little as one day a year. More information
about this program can be found at the Department of Archeology and
Historic Preservation website. Grant funds for the 2011-13 biennium were
recently awarded, with 14 barns across the state selected to receive funding.
Information and nomination forms for the Heritage Barn Register
are available at www.dahp.wa.gov/heritage-barn-register. The next round
for grant applications is not until 2013, provided the legislature approves
funding. For those curious to see pictures of Washington’s restored barns,
70 WHEAT LIFE JANUARY 2012