We're proud to have been awarded the slate repair work at The Dairy Barn Art's Center. The barn has an interesting history.
The Athens Asylum for the Insane, later known as the Athens State Hospital, was established in 1867, and the surrounding land was originally owned by Lt. James Bower, a Civil War veteran who began a dairy business in 1877. The hospital purchased Bower’s farm in 1912, and by 1914, a new Georgian Revival-style cow barn was constructed. The dairy farm became a vital part of the hospital, supplying milk and providing therapeutic and job training opportunities for patients. Under the leadership of herdsmen like Harry Jones and Homer Gall, the farm gained a reputation for excellence in dairy production, with achievements in breeding, including champion cows and bulls, and innovations in herd health management.
The dairy farm continued to thrive through the mid-20th century, supplying feed for multiple farming operations at the hospital. However, by 1977, changes in farming practices and the decline of patient labor led to the dairy barn's disuse, and it was scheduled for demolition. Community members, led by Harriet and Ora Anderson of the Hocking Valley Arts Council, formed a Citizens Task Force to save the barn. Thanks to their efforts, the Dairy Barn was preserved and repurposed into an arts center.
In 1978, the Dairy Barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places and transformed into the Southeastern Ohio Cultural Arts Center. The following year, the barn hosted its first major exhibition, Quilt National, which became a biennial event and a globally recognized showcase for art quilts, helping to secure the Dairy Barn’s role as a hub for cultural and artistic expression in the region.
#Slate #HistoricRestoration #Roofing
