Project Updates: The Becker Barn project was not completed and after considerable time given for project completion, the allotted funds were provided to another barn owner. The Koressel Barn project was delayed due to the owner's health issues but has now been completed. Read the story in the Summer 2022 issue of the Hoosier Barn Chronicle.
2018 Mauri Williamson Barn Preservation Grants Awarded
The IBF board and grant committee are happy to announce the first recipients in the Mauri Williamson Barn Preservation Grant program. With 21 applications received, the grant committee had its work cut out for them. Choosing only two among such a long list of worthy projects was not easy. In the end, the barns selected were those owned by Jeff and Lisa Becker at the McMahonLong-Zellers Farm in Fulton County and William and Ingrid Koressel at the Delap-Fyffe Farm in Monroe County. Each recipient will be awarded $2,500 toward rehabilitation of their barns.
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The Becker Barn
Originally part of a 2,000-acre ranch with several hundred head of cattle and a large dairy barn (it burned over 15 years ago), the Becker’s barn was constructed c.1915 as a private grain elevator building. It has three pass-thrus with cribbing between. It has a floor weight and scales, chutes for grain in the center bay, buckets on a belt-driven system for picking up grain, and a large hopper in the top, with stairs all the way up to the fourth level. It would have been quite a marvel when it was built and is a rare resource on Indiana’s agricultural landscape. Lisa, who is also one of our county reps, stated in the application that despite all the needs of the building the grant funds will be used toward the top priorities which are repairing the roof and structural members.
The Koressel Barn
At the Koressel’s property, the three portal wagon/implement shed is a rare barn type built to support agricultural activity, specifically to house and shelter wagons and assorted farm machinery. The building dates to c.1840 and is part of the Delap-Fyffe Farm, a contributing resource in the Maple Grove Road Rural Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Prior to applying for the IBF grant, the Koressels had also consulted with Bob Sherman with the National Barn Alliance, and he confirmed the rarity of the building. Doing much of the work himself, William will be using the grant funds to straighten and stabilize the building which may necessitate some disassembly and new material. But the couple’s goal is to steward and rehabilitate all the buildings on the property as closely as possible to their original configurations.
Both applicants plan to begin work on their projects right away. Attendees at the IBF annual meeting on July 21st at Dull’s Tree Farm near Thorntown were treated to a presentation on the grant projects, which included many photos and project updates.