The Society is actively supporting the efforts of Preservation Bloomfield to move the historic Barton Farmhouse to the Bowers School Farm. To read more about this, and to add your name and donation to the hundreds of community members who have contributed to The Move, click here

Barton House to hit the road: Community invited to the Keep us Moving Fun Walk !

Long Lake, Eastways and Square Lake roads are lovely tree-lined thoroughfares occasionally traversed by slow-moving vehicles – but nary a slow-moving house. At 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, July 15, however, a 19th-century historic home will make more history as it slowly and proudly glides about one mile to a new site. The 150-year-old home will be lifted from its perch on Long Lake Road just west of Eastways to a new educational park at the Bowers School Farm on Square Lake Road.

Community members are invited to celebrate and witness this important occasion in the Keep Us Moving Fun Walk. Anyone who is interested may walk behind the 1832 farmhouse as it travels from its long-standing location to its new home. Donations to Preservation Bloomfield will be gratefully accepted.In the event of rain, the move and fun walk will occur on Wednesday, July 16..

The move will cap the first phase of an intense effort by Preservation Bloomfield, a new coalition of representatives from the City of Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Bloomfield Hills Schools and the Bloomfield Historical Society to raise enough money to move, restore and open the home to students and visitors. In six months the group has raised $200,000, with donations still being realized. At least another $100,000 is needed to make the house usable and accessible to the community.

“We’ve been awed and thrilled with the way that our neighbors have stepped up to support preserving this historic jewel,” said Pat Hardy, Bloomfield Hills city commissioner. “Raising this much money in just eight months or so is a phenomenal testimonial to the values of our community.” More than 500 individuals have contributed to Preservation Bloomfield so far. Utility companies Comcast, AT&T and DTE, along with civil engineering firm HRC and other local organizations, have made in-kind contributions to the effort.

For more information contact Pat Hardy at 248-642-6923, or visit
www.preservationbloomfield.org .

Note: The July 6th, 2008 edition of the Hometown Eccectric had this story about the efforts to save the Historic Barton Farmhouse
History teaches us the importance of preservation