Bucks Co. Awarded $92K To Preserve Historic Stover Barns In Tinicum

TINICUM TOWNSHIP, PA — Bucks County has been awarded nearly $92,000 by the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission to help preserve the historic Stover Barns in Tinicum Township.

The award was announced by State Rep. Shelby Labs, who represents Tinicum Township in the state legislature. "I’m grateful the Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission saw the value in protecting this important part of our local heritage," she said.

Built around 1860 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Stover Barns are iconic examples of Bucks County’s rural, agricultural history. Today, the county-owned barns remain open to the public for tours and community events.

The grant funding will allow Bucks County to restore the landmark cupola on the main Stover Bank Barn, complete timber framing repairs on the Hay Barn, and fix other structural concerns.

"It’s an important investment that will keep this community treasure standing strong for years to come," said Labs.

The Victorian-era barn and side barn date from 1860 when the property was owned by Henry S. Stover and later, by his son, Jacob. The frame and stone Stover bank barn is significant as a very well-preserved example of a relatively high-style mid-19th-century barn. The use of brick, as well as the ornamental cupola and the large lunette windows, are extremely rare in Bucks County.

The last Stover descendant to live in the house, John J Stover, donated the house, the barn and outbuildings to the county in 1955. The property subsequently became part of Tinicum Park, the county's first public park, and is a centerpiece for many park events including the Tinicum Arts Festival.