Tredyffrin's Jones Log Barn Living History Center
Posted October 12, 2021
The Jones Log Barn in Tredyffrin Township is likely one of the oldest barns in the region. However, twenty years ago, it was falling apart and set to be demolished to settle an estate.
Thanks to the work of local historic preservationists who worked for years to dismantle, relocate, and reassemble the barn — it is now reopening as the Jones Log Barn Living History Center!
The barn will showcase farm life in the 18th-century here in Chester County, as well as Tredyffrin's role in the Revolutionary war and the process of preserving a historic barn.
As noted in a recent Philadelphia Inquirer article, "The architectural plan was drawn by the restoration architects Frens & Frens of West Chester, and the actual log assembly was done by Scott Walker, a Montgomery County-based timber framer who grew up in Atlanta and was intrigued by working in Southeastern Pennsylvania because 'This is where the barns started. They're the oldest buildings we have.'"
The project was guided by the Tredyffrin Historic Preservation Trust's President, Pattye Benson, and was made possible by donations of money and materials.
"One third of the flooring, half of the rafters, and one fourth of the roof system and door jambs are from the original barn," Benson noted in the article.
The preservation of this barn supports the "Appreciate" goal in Landscapes3, Chester County's Comprehensive Plan, as it helps to preserve historic resources in their context while supporting appropriate reuse as a vital part of our community infrastructure and character.
The Jones Log Barn Living History Center will be open from April 1 through October 30, and other times by appointment. For more information or to arrange a tour, please contact Pattye Benson at 610-644-6759.