Jim Kelly remembers when one side of the rustic, whitewashed barn was infested with termites. Recent photos of the building ? nestled among lush, rolling hills; towering trees; and orchards in Baltimore County?s Cromwell Valley Park, show rotting wood at its foundation.
“The county could have easily decided to just tear it down,” Kelly said.
Instead, armed with the support of five community associations that collectively include more than 2,000 residents and park users, the 18 barns, outbuildings and stately Sherwood mansion were added to the county?s roster of historic landmarks. More importantly, said Kelly, vice president of the Friends of Cromwell Valley Park, that meant any improvements must be historically accurate.
On Wednesday, county officials, including Executive Jim Smith; Councilman Bryan McIntire, R-District 3; and state Sen. Katherine Klausmeier, D-District 8, dedicated$710,000 worth of structural repairs, siding, window and roof replacements and paint jobs ? noting the fresh smell of new wood instead of aluminum.
Klausmeier credited the project to the “oomph” of community activists.
“Had the community not said, ?this is what needs to happen,? who knows what would be here today,” she said.
Each of the buildings in the 375-acre park in the Minebank Run stream valley are in use, most of which date to the 1930s, officials said. Fields are used for community-supported agriculture ? when private residents subsidize farming in exchange for fresh produce ? educational programs and annual events, such as an “edible insect brunch,” and holiday festivals.
The barn, where Wednesday?s dedication was held, is used to store hay and white pine shavings for the park?s resident horses, two retired draft horses named Lorell and April. The park offers private horse-drawn hay rides, one of the many benefits of the county- and state-owned park, Smith said.
“It?s big, it?s incredibly beautiful and it?s open to everyone,” he said.
The next stage of improvements include new signs and renovations to the Merrick House, a log cabin and lime house.
