Staff Reports
The Joseph Hart Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution helped the Bartholomew County Historical Society win a $10,000 grant to repair windows at the historic Henry Breeding Farmhouse at 13730 N. County Road 100W near Edinburgh.
Age and weather had triggered some deterioration at the structure built in 1871. And a separate grant from the Indiana Historical Society is currently pending that would provide funds to make necessary repairs to the roof, soffits, gutters and other exterior areas to address water infiltration issues. In addition to that grant, the historical society will raise additional matching funds for the project.
To fulfill the DAR’s fundamental mission to promote historic preservation, up to $250,000 is awarded annually nationwide, with a maximum of $10,000 for any individual project.
While the Joseph Hart Chapter sponsored the application in 2018, the local historical society did the work of raising matching funds and submitting the grant application to restore the farm house windows. The historical society was the first organization in Bartholomew County to receive a nationally sponsored DAR Historic Preservation Grant.
The historic Henry Breeding Farm represents the agricultural and industrial heritage of the area and served as an active farm from its purchase in 1847 until 1982. Ancestors of both Henry and Blanche Breeding were among the earliest pioneers in Bartholomew County.
The farm property and 160 acres was willed to the historical society after the death of Henry Breeding in 1982. It remains an essential part of the historical society’s mission “to discover, collect, preserve, and share the history of Bartholomew County for the enrichment of present and future generations.”
The farm is maintained by the historical society to preserve local heritage and educate learners of all ages. The annual Spring on the Farm event brings many volunteers and hundreds of students each year to experience multi-generational learning and early 1900s farm life in a fun and hands-on manner.
For years, Joseph Hart Chapter member Marjorie Schmeckebier, and her husband Jack, have volunteered to demonstrate their collection of kitchen and farm implements, sharing traditional processes. The Henry Breeding Farm is a critical part of local farming history and provides hands-on experiences for people every year.
There are annual programs and classes that include wreath making, blacksmithing and steam school using the historical society’s extensive Reeves collection. Also, the historical society rents the barn on the property for weddings and special events and uses it for fundraising events. Tours of the farm and historic home are frequently requested and offered throughout the year.
In addition to the DAR grant, the historical society raised a significant amount of funds through individual donors and other grants that were used for the restoration project. The windows were restored utilizing their original material. The frames and sills were repaired and painted, and new storm windows were installed for added insulation and protection.
[sc:pullout-title pullout-title=”Past and present” ][sc:pullout-text-begin]
For more information about the Bartholomew County Historical Society:
bartholomewhistory.org
[sc:pullout-text-end]
