The Pennsylvania Bank Barn, or Barn Museum, was designed to preserve the 150 years or so of Amish contribution to Kish Valley history. It was designed to be large enough to accomodate larger artifacts such as wagons, sleds, buggies, and farm implements.
The idea for an Barn Museum originated with founding board member Steve Dunkle, who convinced the full board in the mid-1990s to support his effort to obtain a State grant. An initial construction State grant was awarded to KVHS in late 2001, to complete a structure by the end of 2003.
The Historical Society's goal was to relocate an existing bank barn or to replicate a bank barn typical of Valley barn architecture in the mid-1800s. In the Spring of 2002, the Society was gifted the Belleville "Hartzler Bank Barn" built in about 1840.
A Nebraska Amish crew "took down" the Hartzler Bank Barn piece-by-piece in late Spring 2002 and is reassembling the barn on several acres of KVHS property adjacent to its main Allensville Museum. Stonework has been added to the frame meticulously by craftsman Joe Bonson, who is both knowledgeable and respectful of the mid-1800s Valley barn stonework.
The Barn Museum will be be open to the public sometime in 2007. The Museum will include an expanded genealogy section, large artifacts previously too large to display, and selected artifacts reflective of the Kish Valley in the 19th century and of Amish history. Open hours will be announced in local newspapers, posted at the Museum, and added to this website.
Donations of artifacts for the Barn Museum are always welcome. Please contact a board member to make arrangements for transfer, to make sure your donation is properly marked in the Museum, and to obtain a receipt for tax purposes.
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