Community Corner
Barn Supporters Need More Money to Finish What They Started
One key component of the Swede's Run barn restoration is nearly finished, but there's still a long way to go.
The new roof for the Swede's Run Barn is almost complete, but the money donated to keep the restoration project going is running out.
The barn, which has been a permanent fixture on Westfield Road for over 150 years, was in worse condition than anticipated, according to Moorestown resident and project volunteer Dave Schill.
“It’s further gone than we thought,” Schill said. “The rafters were shot. We had to take the entire roof off.”
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has been and expects to finish in the next week with the installation of the shingles: wood cedar shakes replicating the materials that may have been used during the barn's original construction, according to Schill.
The barn still needs more work, including new doors, stonework, and the overall reinforcement of the building. The estimate for the new roof is $16,000, which is the total amount of the .
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Schill hopes community donations will continue to fund the restoration effort.
“It’s almost like it’s their building because they paid for it,” he said.
Schill, along with local professionals and contractors, have donated their time and services to the project. The money donated pays for the materials and ancillary costs needed for the restoration of the barn.
The total cost of the project is still unknown. As seen with the roof, the structure is in vulnerable condition. The building was originally made with “square nails and wooden pegs”, but although modern techniques are currently being used in the restoration, Schill says the historical integrity will not be lost and restoration is being done “in accordance with olden days.”
Schill looks forward to more donations so the project can move forward and Moorestown residents can continue to enjoy the historic site.
"It’s one of the oldest structures in the town. A great majority of the people don’t want it destroyed. ," he said.
Contributions to fund the Swede's Run barn restoration effort can be sent to the , c/o Julie Maravich, 660 Chester Ave., Moorestown, NJ 08057. Please mark “Swede’s Run barn” in the memo line.
