Township Groups Honored for Saving Historic Barn

The Oakland Township Parks and Recreation and Historic District commissions, as well as the Oakland Township Historical Society, have received the 2011 Pride of Ownership Certificate from the Michigan Barn Preservation Network.

Parks and Recreation Commission Chairman David Mackley accepted the award on behalf of the Parks and Recreation Commission at Wednesday's regular meeting. MBPN Board Member Tammis Donaldson presented the award with the help of Parks and Recreation Secretary Janine Saputo, who is also involved in MBPN.

The certificate recognizes the historic 1879 Flumerfelt Barn and the work the commission members did to save it from demolition.

"You've still got the splinters in your hands from working on this barn," Saputo said to members of the Parks and Recreation Commission, "but it was really a noteworthy effort.

"Every time ... anyone drives by that barn that worked on it at all, that did anything, they understand what that barn represents and what a community project it was."

The barn, now situated at Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District in Oakland Township, was saved from demolition in 2004; originally located near Gunn Road, it was in the way of a new housing development.

"The barn was dismantled and rebuilt by hand with volunteers at Cranberry Lake Farmstead as part of the historic district," reads a recent MBPN press release. "Flumerfelt Barn ... has timber frame construction, mortise and tenon joints and wooden pegs. It bears unique signature and date features."

The commissions and historical society received the certificate "for not only saving this unique barn, and for conducting a community-wide barn raising, but for continuing to preserve and use this barn now and into the future," reads the press release.

"Oakland Township shows real pride of ownership for Flumerfelt Barn."

The Michgan Barn Preservation Network is a statewide nonprofit organization dedicated to the appreciation, preservation and rehabilitation of Michigan barns, farmsteads and rural communities.