Couple: caretakers of historic barn
The Hewitt Springs Farm in Canton Township was the site of Washington County History and Landmark Foundation’s barn social Sunday. The property is currently owned by Cathy and Gary Sams, who spent the last three years restoring the structure. The barn was built in 1890.
The Hewitt Springs Farm in Canton Township was the site of the Washington County History and Landmark Foundation’s barn social Sunday. The property is currently owned by Cathy and Gary Sams, who have spent the last three years restoring the structure. The barn was built in 1890.
The Hewitt Springs Farm in Canton Township was the site of the Washington County History and Landmark Foundation’s barn social Sunday. The property is currently owned by Cathy and Gary Sams, who have spent the last three years restoring the structure. The barn was built in 1890.
Anyone who ever restored an old building will agree, no one ever actually owns the building that he tends.
“You just take care of it for awhile,” Gary Sams, who owns Hewitt Springs Farm in Canton Township, said. “You’re more a caretaker. Then someone else comes along. You just leave it a bit better than you found it.”
Sams and his wife, Cathy, hosted members of Washington County History and Landmarks Foundation for a historic barn social Sunday as the foundation wrapped up this year’s theme of historic barns. The foundation sponsored a tour of historic area barns in June that drew in people from several states and featured a barn display at the county fair.
The Sams’ 25-acre property at 1298 South Hewitt Ave., which dates back more than 100 years, features a restored farmhouse and barn. Since purchasing the property in 2011, the Samses spent a great deal of time and energy on improving the grounds and barn. Gary Sams said he long dreamed of owning the property.
“We lived on the opposing hill,” he said. “I’ve admired this place my whole life. Then, it went up for sale. The Realtor put the sign up on a Tuesday, and it was ours on Saturday.”
Sams said he’s been focusing on the barn, as the farmhouse was restored by previous owners Maggie and Vic Zuraw of Washington. Sams said he replaced the loft inside the barn, added electricity and repointed the mortar in the brickwork at the base of the barn.
“It had a good roof on it,” he said. “The only other major thing we had to do was clean it.”
The Zuraws, who registered the property with the county foundation, also attended Sunday’s event. Maggie Zuraw said the couple replaced the roof, the barn’s medallions and several windows. The property was a labor of love.
“We saved the barn,” she said. “I guess we were crazy. Person after person would tell use that they didn’t think the house was restorable.”
They lived there 18 years before deciding to sell it.
“We just couldn’t do it anymore,” she said. “We always said we were just caretakers.”
While the barn was used to store wheat and hay for the last 25 years, the Samses now use it for family events. They plan to continue to make improvements and changes, and possibly one day open it to the community for events. In the meantime, they are enjoying their hard work.
“Sometimes, we can’t even believe we got this,” Cathy Sams said.
“We hope this stays around for hundreds of years more,” added Gary Sams. “This is our history.”