Barns part of our landscape, and history

When most people think about preserving heritage, they think about houses that have stood for years. Heritage can also be found in other structures, such as barns.

Barns are vital to farmers as a necessary part of everyday life. While older barns have a tendency to become run down or torn down, others have been restored to be passed down to the next generation.

Joe and Tommye Adams have one barn that is destined for preservation. The barn, located on Petigap Road in Warren County, was built in August 1934 when the original barn was struck by lightning and burned to the ground.

The original barn, and subsequent replacement barn, were built by Joe Ramsey.

‘He saw it when it was struck by lightning because he was sitting in the front room looking out the window,’ said Joe referring to his great grandfather. ‘It was full of dry hay. There wasn’t anything he could do but get everything he could out of it and watch it burn.’

The new barn is slightly bigger than the first with one more stall. The current barn has three cow sheds, five stables for horses, a gear room, and plenty of room for tractors as well as any other farm equipment.

Although the couple has retired, they have begun restoring the barn to pass it down to the next generation.

‘We have two daughters and three grandsons,’ said Tommye. ‘The barn has been passed down five generations now and we want it to keep going.’

To make sure the barn continues to stand, new timbers have been added as well as new paint with more on the to-do list. Preservation will stop at the roof, as the tin roof currently on the building is the same one placed there 73 years ago and it is still strong.

Although the barn will be passed down, some of the routines of the farm won’t be. Back in the day, the farm raised and showed cattle in an unlikely place.

‘We used to show in front of the courthouse,’ said Joe. ‘The Rotary Club and the Chamber of Commerce sponsored it. I’ve seen 50 to 60 boys up there. It drew a lot of spectators. I don’t think they would allow that now.’

Along with the barn preservation, in 2008 the farm will be named a Bicentennial Farm by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.