The story of a barn on Dowell Road
(Talk of the Town photo by Jennifer Zartman Romano) Elmer Heinley's barn above has spent most of its lifetime painted white, but originally had been painted in a very patriotic way.
By Jennifer Zartman Romano
Driving down our country roads, we pass by buildings not stopping to think about them or wonder about their history.
Recently, however, in passing an old barn owned by Elmer Heinley on Dowell Road, intrigue resulted in a photograph – and later a discussion about that old barn.
“I’ve been 91 years looking at that barn,” said 93-year-old Elmer Heinley recently as he gazed at the photograph of his old barn, sharing his memories of the building.
Heinley said the land the barn now sits on was purchased in the 1800s by a man named Lem Dorio from the US government during the administration of President Chester Arthur.
Dorio built the barn on the site in 1888, using white pine on the exterior. He created an impressive floor inside the barn using 40 foot long logs hand-hewn on two sides.
The exterior of the barn was originally very patriotic, according to Heinley. Dorio had served during the Civil War and painted his barn bright red with white trim and blue shutters to show his patriotism. Heinley believes it was whitewashed in 1915.
Dorio’s son married Heinley’s aunt, and his grandfather later bought the farm. Awhile later, the barn became Heinley’s own.
“I will have been there 70 years on June 25 of this year,” Heinley said.
Heinley remembers that in 1937, after three consecutive years of drought, he helped build the silo now standing next to the barn.