The Gogarty Barns Video Tour

Two Old Barns to be Moved, Rebuilt

The former blacksmith shop

The second barn is tucked behind the first one

Aug 09, 2007

Two old barns, both about 100 years old, will be moved from their present location on Hudson Street and rebuilt on the property of a Cornwall resident in order to save them from being torn down.

The barns sit on the property being developed into residential and commercial spaces by Burns and Whalen Contractors. Formerly the site of the village of Cornwall-on-Hudson’s department of public works, the barns were used for many years to store equipment.

Doug Cooper, of the Cornwall Historical Society, has been working with Burns and Whalen to survey the barns and plan the move. Cooper, who earlier dismantled and rebuilt a barn that had stood near Munger Cottage, says that he believes in the importance of preserving historic buildings throughout the town.

“We are not restoring them,” Cooper notes, “we are preserving them and they are very useful structures.”

Fellow historical society member Jay Ziegler has videotaped both structures inside and out as a record of how the barns now look. Cooper has photographed and measured the interiors of the barns. The dismantling will take place once the development plans for the property have been approved.

Cooper says that the barn closest to Hudson Street was built as a blacksmith shop around 1905. He says there is evidence that the second barn was once used for light manufacturing.

The cost of moving the barns will be carried by the individual who has agreed to rebuild them on his property. The unidentified individual will pay to prepare the new site and to move the pieces.

Cooper says that Burns and Whalen has been very cooperative with the historical society and notes that the developers could have done what many people do – knock down old buildings and cart the pieces away in a dumpster. These two barns look to have a longer lifespan thanks to the team effort organized by Cooper.

Photos (above right) of the barns were taken by Phil Hopp. Click on any image for a larger view.

 

To see the article and photos  visit  http://www.cornwall-on-hudson.com/news.cfm?tbl=22&id=1813&days=7