GREENVILLE, DE – DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation announced today that the Fenton Barn located within Brandywine Creek State Park will be demolished starting in mid-April, due to the threat of imminent collapse and subsequent risk to public and staff safety. A safety fence has been erected around the perimeter of the building.
According to a structural engineering report by Orndorf & Associates, Inc. of Upper Darby, Pa., the barn is at risk of collapse. DNREC officials report that it has become so unstable that sections of its roof are caving in almost daily. In addition, DNREC has deemed the Fenton Barn a threat to visitors who use the nearby disc golf course if left standing, and it also endangers five other historical barns and buildings adjacent to it, including the historic Fenton Homestead, which recently underwent a renovation in excess of $100,000.
“The protection of the public and the employees of the State, are our most important responsibilities,” said DNREC Secretary Shawn M. Garvin. “Unfortunately, the condition of the Fenton Barn is at a point where the demolition of this historic structure is our only option.”
The barn, located near the main entrance of the park, is approximately 130 x 70 feet. It was built in two sections. The original structure was erected in the mid-1800s, with additional construction completed in the early 1900s. The barn was part of an agricultural complex that served as a duPont family dairy farm in operation throughout the early 1900s. It was acquired by the Division of Parks & Recreation in four parcels beginning in 1965 under the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund program.
The building was partially renovated several times between 2004 and 2006, at a cost of more than $300,000, but due to substantial decay and the likelihood of collapse, DNREC has determined that the barn cannot be saved.
DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation maintains 622 buildings throughout the state’s 17 parks. A total of more than $500,000 has been spent on other historic structures in Brandywine Creek State Park over the last several years.
The barn’s silo and stone foundation will remain for future interpretative purposes.
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~ DNREC’s Division of Parks & Recreation
