The Dream to Build a Barn
It was a cold and wintry day on New Year's Day 2008 when Bill and Carolyn Knox finally recognized the Knox family wanted to transfer and restore an old mortise and tenon dairy barn originally scheduled for demolition on a nearby Bernards Township farmstead.
This is a story about how a twenty year dream to build a garage/barn evolved into an elaborate twisting tale of historic preservation and innovative thinking.
"I always wanted another barn on our property," noted Carolyn Knox of the Liberty Corner section of Bernards Twp. When our dear friend Alex told us about a barn restoration effort he saw on the other side of town, I knew we were going to get it done.
 The Spark
Alex Williams, who grew up around the corner from the Knoxes and was close friend with the Knox's son Jonathan, was the one who finally got the ball rolling.
Story has it that Alex Williams had noticed another barn relocation/restoration project that was underway for another family on the other side of town. The Styles family on West Oak Street in Basking Ridge was completing a barn restoration project of their own. "I saw that the Style's were actually constructing a barn that had been disassembled somewhere else. Then I got to thinking about the Knox's situation and saw the sign in front of the construction site and said to myself, the Knox's need to call Dan." Alex is referring to Dan Lincoln, the architect and coordinator for the Style's barn restoration/relocation effort.
The Barn Architect
 Daniel Lincoln, a local architect and resident of Bernardsville, was a key player in helping the Knox's navigate the logistics and legislative obstacles that made the Knox effort possible. Dan's had an impressive record of civic historic efforts including being president of The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills and a member of the Bernardsville Historic Preservation Committee.
Amongst Mr. Lincoln's peers, he's the architect who's now been labeled "the barn architect". "It's kind of funny how I've been given the nickname 'the barn architect'", noted Mr. Lincoln, principal of Daniel W. Lincoln Architect, LLC in Bernardsville. "I've gotten to know the process and the players needed in order to make something as complex as this work."
Jen Style, from the West Oak Street barn effort noted; "How special it is to be blessed with the opportunity to preserve a piece of history a second time with the addition of our barn. I credit Dan Lincoln for taking on this project and finding Anthony Hess. Anthony and his team would come into our kitchen for lunch each day to escape the bitter cold, and always with the most thoughtful prayers before they ate. It was wonderful having them as a part of our family for the winter of 07!"
Barn Transfer Process
Many things come into play when considering a relocation/restoration of a historic older structure. "You really need to work with a number of specialists, historians, craftsmen,and government agencies", noted Lincoln. It was Dan Lincoln who introduced Darrick J Anderson (Camelot Builders) to the Knoxes, who was later hired to be the general contractor for the project.
Throughout the summer of 2008, Dan Lincoln worked with the Historic Preservation Committee, the Bernards Township Committee, and the Bernards Township Engineering Department on behalf of the Knoxes, helping to alleviate zoning concerns, transfer rights, and assist in the logistics of the effort.
"The physical dismantling of the barn is actually quite an easy process and goes quite quickly. It's the approval processes with the transfer of ownership and the township variances that take time," says Dan Lincoln. The township was the barn owner before the transfer was made to the Knox family.
 On July 15, 2008 a township resolution was passed authorizing the transfer of the barn to the Knoxes. (see details below). But it wasn't until almost a year later, when in December of 2008 all of the local variances were finally approved by the Board of Adjustment, almost a year to the day after first viewing the Gerhardt barn on that cold wintry afternoon.
David Becker, a local Basking Ridge resident and current member of THSSH's Historic Preservation Committee, worked diligently on behalf of everyone's interest to get the project started. As the Knoxes mentioned time and time again throughout our discussion, "this project would have never been possible without the help of Dan and David and we couldn't be more grateful."
(Above right: David Becker and Daniel Lincoln)
The German Brethren
Known as Pennsylvania's barn craftsmen, a team of seasoned professionals from the heart of Pennsylvania dutch country started in January 2009 disassembling the barn and readying it for assembly on the Knox property.
After Bob Hartman and Michele Dimichino from Camelot Builders built the barn foundation, Anthony Hess of Old Valley Barn Wood, and his team of "German Brethren" from Bethel, PA began the assembly process. The brethren completed the assembly on February 4, 2009.
After the framing was completed, the project moved quickly. On St. Patrick's Day cedar shake roofing expert Tom Devine from Denville, NJ started on the roof. Three days later the roof was complete. Next, the concrete floor was poured. Finally, less than a month later the first red exterior siding was installed.
The Barn Warming
On May 30, 2009 the barn restoration project was officially completed with an old fashioned "Barn Warming" celebration held on behalf of all of the workers, participants, neighbors, and friends who had been involved with the effort.
The 2009 barn warming welcomes all to this newly restored garage and barn.
Congratulation on a great effort for everyone involved!
It just goes to show that with a little determination and vision, that anything is possible.
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The Brick Academy (also known as the Basking Ridge Classical Schoolhouse) is a 1809 Federal-style architectural structure located in the center of Basking Ridge in Bernards Township. The Brick Academy has been a boys’ private preparatory school, a public school, a meeting hall for several fraternal and benevolent organizations, and the Bernards Township municipal building. It currently serves as the headquarters of The Historical Society of the Somerset Hills, as well as a schoolhouse and museum to local history. The Brick Academy also celebrates its bicentennial in 2009.
