Miller Red Barn Fundraisers Show Gilroy History At Stake

GILROY, CA — A grand effort to save a historical Gilroy landmark from succumbing to age exemplifies an importance that goes far beyond the materials of the structure.

Built in 1891 and now on city, state and national registry of historic places, the Miller Red Barn exudes an emotional attachment to the past for pioneers and even visitors who grace its presence at Christmas Hill Park. Much happened at the barn beyond rancher Henry Miller's hard manual labor.

"A lot of marriages resulted from dates at the barn," said Maureen Hunter, one of three "Save the Barn" nonprofit members who joked and reminisced with Patch one afternoon to promote the foundation's latest fundraiser.

Barns in general have known to have this history.

Hunter even drove her children to the park one day to see the larger-than-life structure to share the conception of the barn, among other secrets in town.

During World War II, the National Guard conducted maneuvers with its Jeeps in the area. The region also had a strong agricultural history with the cultivation of bountiful stone fruit. And who can forget its connection to garlic, which the Japanese farmers introduced the region to when they immigrated.

"The barn is like an icon, a landmark," Hunter said.

The fundraiser involves an outdoor dinner slated for Aug. 3 at a private home for 10 guests who will be served an authentic Tuscany feast with pairing wines by seven Bologna, Italian chefs from the Emilia-Romagna region. Live Italian music will be played as an appropriate backdrop. The proceeds from the highest bidder of this "once-in-a-lifetime" dinner will be earmarked for the Miller Red Barn Community Education Center.

The eight volunteers are aiming for a $1,000 night to add to its $100,000 collected since the foundation formed from an informal "Save the Barn" effort waged in 2014 when the city considered tearing it down. Almost half of that went to overhauling the roof. One fundraiser involving an up-close-and-personal event at the barn generated $10,000 for the night.

When all is said and done, the barn will need $833,000 worth of work to restore it.

Although the goal seems lofty, it's doable and definitely worth it, according to the Morgan Hill restoration builder working on the project.

"We're talking thousands of man hours are going into this," said Mark Garrison of MG Constructors & Engineers. Garrison will take on the massive task of constructing the foundation to support the barn. But to Garrison and others who care, the manpower and money are worth keeping a building that has given its residents an emotional attachment to.

"People who want to save the barn have a vested interest in it," Garrison told Patch.

Making the barn anew is just as important as celebrating its history, along with the man who owned it and demonstrated his commitment to the Gilroy region time and time again.

"I don't think there was anybody who was a larger aggregate land owner," Garrison said of Miller.

Beyond the barn, Miller had a storied past himself. He was a master butcher, which allowed him to wean into the ranching industry with the Miller and Lux Cattle Company — especially with 33,000 acres that spanned from Hecker to Pacheco passes. He donated property and money to the city through the years, gestures foundation members and other Gilroy pioneers laud to this day.

"This barn gives the city the heart of what it is and what it's like going home," Richard Perino explained to Patch.

In all its glory, the Miller Red Barn may also be celebrated and commemorated at a Paint & Sip event scheduled for 6 p.m. on Aug. 16. For $50, participants will paint from a picture of the barn with assistance from artist Nacho Moya at a studio located at 7516 Eigleberry St.