The barn with a name

I have a dream.
A dream that's been growing since I was young, became real with the planning of my wedding, and has become a nagging obsession since.

You might think it sounds crazy, but I want to own a barn.

Yep. You read that right. A barn.

I don't want to raise any animals. I'm not really a big animal person.
I don't want to plant crops, although apple trees would be cool.
No, I want to own a barn as a facility to host weddings and other events.

Here's the story behind this dream:

When I was young, I somehow managed to think I was a country girl. I never lived on a farm. I never rode a horse. I lived in suburban Twin Cities MN. But the woods was my favorite place on God's earth, and I had a thing for antiquity. I used to dream up a wedding in my head where we set up hay bales in rows for guests to sit on during the ceremony, and where we retreated to the rustic stone and weathered-wood barn for a reception and dance.

I've always had a thing for barns. There is something about the architecture of them. They tell a story about a certain period of our history. And they are rotting and falling over in neglect in fields and groves all across our country. They are not being put to use, and so they are deteriorating. It makes me sad to see a barn sagging and collapsing- especially the giant old barns, skillfully built, that have been around for 100 years or more.

When it was time to plan my wedding, my mom and I drove every dang back road within a 20 mile radius of our home, looking for a barn in which we could possibly host a wedding. We checked out apple orchards, family farms, horse stables, wineries... What we found out was that there are really very few such venues in the area.

Click here to see some examples of the kind of setting I'm talking about.



There is a particular barn, in Nowthen, MN (No, really. You gotta love a town named Nowthen!), that I've admired for many, many years. Probably since I could drive a car. I remember driving with my brother, taking pictures of barns and silos as we cruised the back roads in the rural areas north of our home. And I remember once pulling over to take a picture of this one particular barn, and thinking that of all of the barns I'd seen, this one was the most... majestic.

Now, majestic may not seem to you like a great adjective to describe a barn. But it was strong and tall and held its own weight. Though you could tell it was neglected, and would have been entitled to a little sagging here and there, it stood proud. It was unique. It was a round barn, with a giant cupola, brick base, and windows all around. And it commanded a beautiful property, bordering a lake, with mature trees and a beautiful home.

Over time, I've stopped at or driven by this barn many times. And over time, the dream has grown. I WANT THAT BARN! And then I want as many people as possible to see it and enjoy its character.

Just for fun, I began think... what would I name the barn, if ever I were blessed enough to own it?
I prayed about it... I thought about it... I brainstormed... You know, just for fun.
A dozen super-stupid names crossed my mind, and were instantly vetoed. I just couldn't pin a name on the dream.

So I consulted Google. :o)
I started searching for "wedding barn" and "historic barn"... just looking at the names of different barns, both the wedding-venue type, and other. Then I happened to search "historic barns, MN", which led me to a page listing the barns in MN that are on the National Registrar of Historic Places. Just for fun, I clicked on my county, and took a look at the historic sites listed.

And then, holy moly! Guess what I saw?!? MY BARN! Staring at me from my computer screen! The link led to a Wikipedia page, telling me the history and THE NAME of my barn! (Please excuse all of the exclamations. I am fully aware that none of this is as exciting to you as it is to me.)


So there it is. Sparre Barn of Nowthen, MN.

Now I realize that this is sounding silly to some people. But what I'm about to tell you will sound even sillier (sillier is not a word- I know). I want to go knock on the owner's door. I want to show up with a folder of pictures and tell them about my dream for their barn. I want to give them my card (I don't actually have a card- I'm a stay-at-home-mom- but I'd make one especially for them!), and ask them to contact me if ever they were looking to sell the property. I want to research rules and regulations regarding properties on the National Registrar of Historic Places and think about business plans and finances.... and... and...

Halt!

I'm way ahead of myself, I know.
So for now, I will do none of the above.
But I will pray. And I will wait. And if this dream persists, I will probably go knock on their door someday. I will not bombard them with my silly dream, but I will politely give them my contact info and ask them to contact me if ever they sell. And I will pray some more.