8th December 2009

 
I drove by this barn many weeks ago and remembered last night that I wanted to blog about it. I remember it from when I was little.

This classic barn is beloved by many in Oregon's upper Willamette Valley. They've appreciated its weathered sense of history for decades. Unfortunately, this landmark barn is in danger of being demolished or burned within the next few years.

It's current owner is a Gribble, Mr. D. Joe Gribble, whose father and grandfather were both present at the barn's construction nearly a century ago. But today Mr. Gribble owns only the structure, not the land upon which the barn sits. That land passed out of Gribble ownership in the 1950s. The crisis of destruction arrived in 2002, and in 2008 it is still lurking.

The current landowner desires to see the barn go away, whereas County officials would like to see it stay where it was built because that is how official County historic landmark status makes the most sense. And so this magnificent barn is in a sense homeless. Negotiations continue between Mr. Gribble and the current landowner. But the barn's fate is perilous and uncertain. There are many possibilities being explored to avert destruction. Email them to see how you can help.

The barn was built on the 640 acre Gribble Homestead in 1907, replacing an earlier version dating from 1850. The barn is very large, approximately 42 feet by 65 feet, with a cathederal-like interior inhabited by bats and owls. Gribble Creek runs by its NW corner. Its massive timbers were milled at the nearby Yoder Mill, which to this day is a Yoder family custom timber mill whose owners are related to the Gribbles.

http://www.gribblebarn.com/

Or contact bruce@oregonphotos.com