John Motter purchased the Walnut Hill Farm.

John Motter hired John Z. Grove and Son to build The Star Barn.

John Motter passed away.

John Motter’s oldest daughter, Elizabeth (Fletcher) inherited The Star Barn Farm.

The Star Barn (lower level) was converted to accommodate dairy.

Route 283 was built.

Dairy farming ceased at The Star Barn.

The Star Barn farm property was subdivided.

The Star Barn was entered in the National Register of Historic Places.

DAS Companies and David and Tierney Abel acquired a detailed 1:12-scale replica of the 1877 Star Barn by Terry Spahr.

DAS Companies and David and Tierney Abel acquired The Star Barn from Agrarian Country.

The cupolas for the hog barn and chicken coop were removed from their respective structures.

The chicken coop was disassembled.

The hog barn was disassembled.

David Ferro, of Ferro Weathervanes, was hired to replicate weathervanes and fleur-de-lis finials for The Star Barn and its associated structures.

The “Star Barn II” and Corn Crib II (located at Bryncoed Farm in Middletown, Pennsylvania) were dismantled • Restore ‘N More began work on the windows restoration and reconstruction project for The Star Barn Village

Received official notice from the National Park Service that The Star Barn Village will retain its registration on the National Register of Historic Places – even after it is moved from Middletown to Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania • West Donegal Township recently granted zoning approval for the historic 1877 Star Barn Village to be moved from Middletown to Elizabethtown for integration into Ironstone Ranch’s existing Rural Heritage Meeting Center • The Star Barn and carriage house cupolas were removed • The hog barn cupola has been restored.

Received all necessary approvals from West Donegal Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.

The chicken coop cupola has been restored. • The Star Barn models exhibit at the 2016 Farm Show (100th year) won “Most Unique” award.

West Donegal Township Board of Supervisors approved the issuance of a Stormwater Management/Land Disturbance Permit for Ironstone Ranch – Star Barn, WT 15-08 • Held first meeting with Elizabethtown College interns. They will assist us with tasks related to event management, PR, and digital media for The Star Barn Raising Festival.

Began excavation at Stone Gables Estate for The Star Barn site (roads, pond, parking lot, etc.) • A ground-breaking ceremony for The Star Barn Village was held at Stone Gables Estate. Guest speakers included Karen Arnold from the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and John Yoder, III, West Donegal Township supervisor. Father Ted Keating (Seven Sorrows of the Blessed Virgin Mary Parish) and Pastor Greg Funk (Grace Baptist Church) also participated by providing a blessing and benediction. • Restore ‘N More completed the restoration/reconstruction of all the windows for The Star Barn, carriage house, chicken coop, and hog barn.

Building dirt pads were staked out for the carriage house, chicken coop, and hog barn. • The creation of the milk house cupola was in process. This cupola, as well as three other cupolas were created from scratch. The other cupolas that were built include the two cupolas flanking the main Star Barn cupola (the original Star Barn had three cupolas) and one cupola for another structure that was being repurposed for the site. Where appropriate, old barn wood was used to make the cupolas. • The completed carriage house, hog barn, and chicken coop weathervane replicas from David Ferro of Ferro Weathervanes (including posts, directionals, balls, and fleur-de-lis finials for each) were picked up. • David and Tierney Abel hosted a dinner and presentation at the main barn at Ironstone Ranch for Star Barn vendors and workers (current and future). About 130 were in attendance. A sculptured Star Barn cake was made by Renee Hackman for the dessert. C&J Catering catered the event. Steve Strickler’s documentary (short version) was shown. David and Tierney introduced vendors and spoke about their vision and purpose for the property. • The Star Barn Raising Festival, originally scheduled for September 27 and 28, 2016, has been postponed until 2017. New dates will be determined.

Our Elizabethtown College interns gave final presentations to their Advanced Public Relations class about what they learned and accomplished working on event management, PR, and digital media tasks related to The Star Barn Raising Festival. Thank you to Kaylin, Lauren, Jake, Andrew, Carly, Victoria, and Chad for all your help with the project! • B&D Builders started pre-constructing the timber frames for (1) the chicken coop and (2) hog barn to determine what needs to be replaced or repaired. So far, it appears that most of the beams are in good condition, even after 139 years. • The blasting for The Star Barn foundation is complete.

The construction of the Eagle’s Nest Gazebo started. It is built on Liberty Lake and faces the forebay side of The Star Barn. • The careful de-construction of The Star Barn began. Everything was put into storage until the barn raising event. During the early phase of The Star Barn de-construction process, boards and siding were labeled and examined for condition. Nails were removed and everything was neatly stacked and organized by section. As you can imagine, thousands of pieces compose this magnificent structure. The labeling and organization process was critically important when the re-assembly day began. • Permit applications for the carriage house, hog barn, and chicken coop were presented to West Donegal Township. • The Eagle’s Nest Gazebo, including a cupola, was completed. • The excavation of Lake Liberty, complete with various size rocks and “beehive-like” fish houses where small fish can reside to escape larger fish or predators (“fish breeding houses”) was completed. These provide a safe haven for fish breeding so that small fish can develop. • The Star Barn: The exterior decorative brackets and trim from under the eave soffits were removed, the interior upper level granaries were de-constructed (except for framework), the disassembly of siding for the east end gable was complete and the process began for the other gables. The tongue and groove pine boards were removed from the threshing or mow-stead walls that separate the five bays (upper level). • The team from Trillium Dell Timberworks finished bracing The Star Barn structure. The process of removing white wash from the beams on the lower level of The Star Barn was underway. Dry ice blasting technology was used for this process. • The disassembly of siding was complete for the four gable ends of The Star Barn. • The removal of the standing seam metal roof for The Star Barn began. • The removal of the standing seam metal roof and underlying cedar shakes was finished • White wash had been removed from the beams in the lower level. • The removal of the roof’s skip lathing began. • Trillium Dell Timberworks began work on The Star Barn project. • Each of the four giant louvered stars had been removed from The Star Barn. • The floor boards for the upper level had been removed. Roof rafters continued to be removed.

Removal of the six Star Barn bents, via crane begins. The outside bent (near the silo) weighs 8,000 pounds; the bent to the left of this weighs 6,600 pounds. • All of The Star Barn bents had been removed. Trillium Dell continued to remove the remaining beams. • All that remained of The Star Barn at the original site were its limestone stable walls/foundation and vaulted stone cellar. • The dismantling of the carriage house/corn crib began.

The carriage house/corn crib had been fully dismantled and the site had been cleaned and graded. • The foundation was ready for the chicken coop and its rebuilding began. • The footers for the carriage house were ready. The foundation for the hog barn was finished. • Weathervanes for the Star Barn II, Corn Crib II, and Spring House structures were picked up from Ferro Weathervanes and delivered to the warehouse in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. • The Star Barn’s carriage house cupola was completed. • DAS Companies, Inc. announced the offering of two more very unique Star Barn items for sale. These included: 1) Five-point dimensional metal stars, made from The Star Barn’s roof (two sizes – large and small). 2) Original 1877 Star Barn cedar roof shingles engraved with The Star Barn logo.

The primary framework, windows, and basic roof covering was complete for The Star Barn’s chicken coop and hog barn. The foundation stonework for the chicken coop was neared completion. All the timbers are original or replacement vintage lumber and the windows are original.