Back in April of 2011 (April 30th to be exact), I stopped by a beautiful old barn, sadly abandoned, but still standing proud alongside Route 209. I wandered around and took some photos, but I stayed on the front side of the barn not knowing if I was trespassing or not. Since then I've always wanted to go back and take some more pictures there. Yesterday I took the opportunity to do so and used the sunny day and brisk air to feed my adventurous side. I really walked around the property and discovered that the barn was even bigger than I realized! One of my favorite discoveries was the two silos on the back of the barn. They are not even visible from the front! I've still got a few shots to share with you, but this one seemed to sum up my adventure. The sky really was that blue! And if you would like to know more about this lovely structure, check out my April 30, 2011 shot and view her on a glorious Spring day.
Great photo, Ann! The composition and color is wonderful. This is a wonderful old barn that looks like it's still in good shape. Too bad it's abandoned. It might make a cool house!
@gennygenny Thank you Genny! @juleswoome Thank you Julie. I believe this used to be a dairy farm. In the 70's this barn and its land along with the land and buildings of about 100 other families were bought out by the federal gov. at ridiculous prices because the area was going to be turned into a recreational lake by daming up the Delaware River near a place called Tock's Island. It was later determined to to be not cost effective and environmentally destructive, so the whole thing was abandoned after about 5 years. By then all the families had relocated and lost their family homes since many were torn down. The whole thing was a fiasco. The few structures that weren't torn down were never returned or reopened and this barn is one of them. During this visit, I was able to photograph the weather vane on top of the main part of the barn and I think it had the family's name on it. If I decide to post that I am going to see what I can find out. It wasn't the best shot with my p & s, but I was also taking film shots with my 35mm camera and the zoom may have done a better job. We'll see.
@kerristephens Thanks Kerri! @karenann Thanks Karenann! @lisjam1 Thanks Lisa! This barn is massive (check out last year's shot on April 30- I'd give you the link but I'm not sure how to do that!). It's L shaped and the right part of this picture is the bottom leg of the L. It's two stories and may have a basement too, but I don't think it does (I am not comfortable going inside without someone else with me! Who knows what critters might be in there!). The longer part of the L has a basement and first floor, but as you can see by the windows, it could easily have an upper level too. You could easily fit 4 to 5 families in this building with room to spare. It's in fair shape, but would definitely need a lot of work and tlc. Unfortunately now that this is on State Park land, I don't think it will ever be refurbished. Instead it will continue to deteriorate over the years until someone has to tear it down. Most of the outbuildings are already in bad shape. A shed that I photographed last year lost its roof during our Halloween snowstorm.
Barns have always been one of my favorites, sadly there are very few left in this area. This photo invokes great memories of my youth, our dairy barn was very similar to the one depicted in this photo. I spent many a morning milking cows in a similar barn before I went to school. Great capture and thanks for the chance for me step back into time.
@digitalrn Thanks Rick- I love farms too, even though I grew up in "modern suburbia". My heart was always in a different place! @lisjam1 I know- me too. One of the most amazing things I ever saw was an ancient wall from a Canaanite city in Israel from 4000 BC. I was standing there and looking at it and could just not conceive something could be that old! @rhubbard Oh thank you Richard- I'm so glad it had such a special affection for you. I have always thought it would be a wonderful thing to grow up on a farm. @twinsplusone Thank you Sharon!! @sarasdadandmom Thanks Terry. The silos were definitely cool. They are some sort of ceramic tile and they didn't look curved, so I don't know how they put them on a round silo! I will have to have Jeff look at them someday- he's a tiler, he might know. Anyway- they seem to be "younger" than the rest of the barn. I think maybe the original silo was replaced by these two. But I don't know how I could find out.
Wow! This is fantastic! I'm impressed too that you were able to get out and walk around it. I'm looking forward to seeing more pictures! LOVE barn pictures.
@mrssmith Thanks Carla- I've done this before at this barn. It's quite accessible. The last time I stayed pretty much on the other side of the barn from this shot. But as we travel back and forth past it I noticed other buildings on the land, so my goal this day was to go around the barn and explore. Hence the shot from the back side! I love your barn pictures! Boy would we have fun exploring them together!
@dmariewms Thanks Marie- this one is certainly grand. It will be a while before time claims it and until then, I'll be visiting it on occasion. @bkbinthecity Thanks Brian! More than glad to! @pandorasecho Thanks Dixie- I was quite comfortable wandering here. The only thing I will not do is actually go inside the structures- at least not by myself. I'm afraid I might disturb a critter or too and freak myself out!
i've always wondered about these abandoned barns. this one doesn't look so run down as others i've seen. the silos seem to be in perfect condition still. but you could see and feel the history or past life that it once had. i'd like to see this in person one day. beautiful shot, ann. i love it.
@cimes1 Thank you so much Carole. This is such a beautiful barn. I've photographed it before from the other side (April 30, 2011 if you want to scroll back to see it). When I took the older shots, I had no idea there were two silos on the other side- that's how massive this thing really is. @louisefrance Thank you Louise. Yes, the whole "Tocks Isalnd Project" was a disaster! Although it's nice that this land is now protected and there is a trail which runs along the river for hiking, it is still sad to see the loss of this beautiful enterprise. @summerfield Thank you Vikki- there are several buildings on this property. This one does seem to have survived well, as has the stone farmhouse, but a two of the smaller barns are obviously deteriorated and dangerous to enter. It was tempting to go in this, but I'd never do it by myself- only because of what critters might have made it their home!
@geertje Thank you Geertje! When I decided to do the film challenge, I knew I wanted to choose a subject that film would love. And I love this old barn so, it was a match made in photography heaven (if there is such a place!).
@juleswoome Thank you Julie. I believe this used to be a dairy farm. In the 70's this barn and its land along with the land and buildings of about 100 other families were bought out by the federal gov. at ridiculous prices because the area was going to be turned into a recreational lake by daming up the Delaware River near a place called Tock's Island. It was later determined to to be not cost effective and environmentally destructive, so the whole thing was abandoned after about 5 years. By then all the families had relocated and lost their family homes since many were torn down. The whole thing was a fiasco. The few structures that weren't torn down were never returned or reopened and this barn is one of them. During this visit, I was able to photograph the weather vane on top of the main part of the barn and I think it had the family's name on it. If I decide to post that I am going to see what I can find out. It wasn't the best shot with my p & s, but I was also taking film shots with my 35mm camera and the zoom may have done a better job. We'll see.
@karenann Thanks Karenann!
@lisjam1 Thanks Lisa! This barn is massive (check out last year's shot on April 30- I'd give you the link but I'm not sure how to do that!). It's L shaped and the right part of this picture is the bottom leg of the L. It's two stories and may have a basement too, but I don't think it does (I am not comfortable going inside without someone else with me! Who knows what critters might be in there!). The longer part of the L has a basement and first floor, but as you can see by the windows, it could easily have an upper level too. You could easily fit 4 to 5 families in this building with room to spare. It's in fair shape, but would definitely need a lot of work and tlc. Unfortunately now that this is on State Park land, I don't think it will ever be refurbished. Instead it will continue to deteriorate over the years until someone has to tear it down. Most of the outbuildings are already in bad shape. A shed that I photographed last year lost its roof during our Halloween snowstorm.
@lisjam1 I know- me too. One of the most amazing things I ever saw was an ancient wall from a Canaanite city in Israel from 4000 BC. I was standing there and looking at it and could just not conceive something could be that old!
@rhubbard Oh thank you Richard- I'm so glad it had such a special affection for you. I have always thought it would be a wonderful thing to grow up on a farm.
@twinsplusone Thank you Sharon!!
@sarasdadandmom Thanks Terry. The silos were definitely cool. They are some sort of ceramic tile and they didn't look curved, so I don't know how they put them on a round silo! I will have to have Jeff look at them someday- he's a tiler, he might know. Anyway- they seem to be "younger" than the rest of the barn. I think maybe the original silo was replaced by these two. But I don't know how I could find out.
@bkbinthecity Thanks Brian! More than glad to!
@pandorasecho Thanks Dixie- I was quite comfortable wandering here. The only thing I will not do is actually go inside the structures- at least not by myself. I'm afraid I might disturb a critter or too and freak myself out!
@alia_801 Thanks Alia!
@louisefrance Thank you Louise. Yes, the whole "Tocks Isalnd Project" was a disaster! Although it's nice that this land is now protected and there is a trail which runs along the river for hiking, it is still sad to see the loss of this beautiful enterprise.
@summerfield Thank you Vikki- there are several buildings on this property. This one does seem to have survived well, as has the stone farmhouse, but a two of the smaller barns are obviously deteriorated and dangerous to enter. It was tempting to go in this, but I'd never do it by myself- only because of what critters might have made it their home!