By: Alisha McDarris
Record Herald Writer
Courtesy of the Record Herald; To be Printed at a Future Date
WEST MILTON – Historic barns have always been a thing of beauty for Fred and Brenda Copeland. And over the past handful of years it has become a passion of Brenda’s to share that beauty with any and all who will listen.
The Copelands even have the honor of owning a historic barn that was dubbed one of Ohio’s Bicentennial Barns. One Bicentennial Barn in each of Ohio’s 88 counties was christened such and blessed with a hand-painted mural. The Copeland barn on Rt. 48 in West Milton was chosen for the project for it’s old-world craftsmanship and 1850 build date. Brenda was thrilled and couldn’t wait to show it off in celebration and share her excitement for history.
So for the third year, the Copelands will host an Old Barns and Old Cars open house and cruise-in on October 9 from 1:00-4:00 to commemorate the beauty and history of vehicles and barns of years past, a perfect pairing for a farming community according to Brenda.
“Whenever the opportunity comes to share the barn, we take advantage of it,” Brenda said.
At the free event, not only will the public be able to see and uncover the history of the Copeland’s barn and classic cars from around the county, but they’ll also be able to get a glimpse of many other historic barns from around the state in photographic anthologies, usually found at the Troy Historical Library, compiled by Brenda and a team of volunteers from the Miami County Barn Survey Project.
The “kitchen table” project, begun in 2005 by Brenda because of the historical acknowledgement of her own barn, seeks to find, photograph, and document the hundreds of historic barns in the county. An important effort, according to Brenda.
“They’re part of our community’s history and they’re disappearing so fast. It’s important to document and save this history for future generations,” Brenda explained. They won’t be around forever, she explained, because most individuals don’t have the funds or resources to restore their deteriorating barns that are already over 100 years old.
Brenda is looking forward to filling her barn with the interested public once more. “These barns come alive when they’re filled with people.”
At the event, Brenda will introduce inquisitive crowds to local architectural history, raise awareness of historical barns, and encourage people’s interest in the subject. Because these barns are what Brenda is truly crazy about.
“Even if we get one person excited about barns we’ve done our job. It’s not just a barn, it’s a big part of our life and our history,” Brenda commented.
The family-friendly event promises to be an enjoyable occasion for history buffs, car lovers, barn enthusiasts, and many others. Visitors can grab
some hot chocolate as they travel back to a simpler time where cars were one of a kind and whole communities came together for the raising of an edifice. Even Tipp City’s Haunted Garage will be in attendance with their own set of eerie wheels.
“For somebody who’s crazy about barns like me, it’s a really worthwhile thing to do,” Brenda encouraged. The Old Barns and Old Cars event will take place at the Miami County Bicentennial Barn at 4080 St. Rt. 48 in West Milton.
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