Fetter-Hood Barn
Location
Smeck Park
7395 Basil Rd
Baltimore, OH 43105
Liberty Township | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
Its History
Fetter-Hood Barn, Foundation
In 2019, visitors noticed many updates and changes including a roadway through the park, a new parking area near the picnic shelter, extensions to the trails, steps from the ridge to the ravine and Walnut Creek, and Cruit House, the beautifully restored, 200-year-old log-framed house (see below). There was to be another new addition!
Fetter-Hood Barn was deconstructed in 2005-06 at its original location on OH-37 just north of Lancaster and put into storage. The massive foundation stones were moved to and reset at Smeck Park. One corner stone is engraved with the words, “Thomas Fettr 1841”; there is no second E in Fettr (see photo at top of page). For many years, the foundation sat, bare, and was a curiosity to visitors who did not know its purpose. Construction of the barn was to begin in 2015 but was delayed due to financial constraints.
The original 1841 barn was a large, double-forebay bank barn. A forebay is an area where the walls overshoot the foundation; that barn had front and back forebays. A bank, or banked barn, refers to a barn that was usually built on a hill and has an earthen ramp to the main floor. Animals were housed at ground level. The main level was typically used for equipment storage, as a workshop, tack storage, and other uses. The loft, called a mow (rhymes with now), was used for hay storage. That Pennsylvania German-style barn was a common construction method used in the 1700-1800s.
Fetter-Hood Barn (November 2023)
Long-awaited construction of Fetter-Hood Barn (watch slideshow) began in summer 2020. Really, the barn is brand new, a replica rather than a reconstruction. The original wood was not solid enough to use in a rebuild. To meet current construction standards, a second foundation had to be built inside the original foundation to support the massive structure and make it safe for non-agricultural use. The heavy-timber framework was precut offsite then shipped, August 3, to the park to be assembled. By August 12, it was partially finished and soon under roof. Work was completed in 2021.
Since the building was finished, it has been used during public events at Smeck Park such as Harvest Celebration (annually in mid-September) and other public programs.
The building needs to be stained and electricity will be installed in the not-so-distant future. Watch this spot and our Facebook page for updates.
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive north toward Columbus on N Memorial Drive 0.4 miles. Turn right onto 6th Av; drive 0.1 miles. Turn left onto N Columbus St; drive 0.8 miles. N Columbus St turns slightly right and becomes Baltimore Rd NW (OH-158); continue for 7.0 miles. Turn left onto Leonard Rd NW; drive 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Basil Rd NW; drive 0.4 miles. The entrance is on the left.
Directions from Pickerington: From the corner of OH-256 and W Columbus St, drive east toward Baltimore on OH-256; drive approximately 8.3 miles. Turn right onto S Basil St (S Basil St becomes Basil Rd); drive 0.8 miles. The entrance is on the right.
Fetter-Hood Barn
Location
Smeck Park
7395 Basil Rd
Baltimore, OH 43105
Liberty Township | MAP
Hours
Open Year-Round, Dawn to Dusk
Its History
Fetter-Hood Barn, Foundation
In 2019, visitors noticed many updates and changes including a roadway through the park, a new parking area near the picnic shelter, extensions to the trails, steps from the ridge to the ravine and Walnut Creek, and Cruit House, the beautifully restored, 200-year-old log-framed house (see below). There was to be another new addition!
Fetter-Hood Barn was deconstructed in 2005-06 at its original location on OH-37 just north of Lancaster and put into storage. The massive foundation stones were moved to and reset at Smeck Park. One corner stone is engraved with the words, “Thomas Fettr 1841”; there is no second E in Fettr (see photo at top of page). For many years, the foundation sat, bare, and was a curiosity to visitors who did not know its purpose. Construction of the barn was to begin in 2015 but was delayed due to financial constraints.
The original 1841 barn was a large, double-forebay bank barn. A forebay is an area where the walls overshoot the foundation; that barn had front and back forebays. A bank, or banked barn, refers to a barn that was usually built on a hill and has an earthen ramp to the main floor. Animals were housed at ground level. The main level was typically used for equipment storage, as a workshop, tack storage, and other uses. The loft, called a mow (rhymes with now), was used for hay storage. That Pennsylvania German-style barn was a common construction method used in the 1700-1800s.
Fetter-Hood Barn (November 2023)
Long-awaited construction of Fetter-Hood Barn (watch slideshow) began in summer 2020. Really, the barn is brand new, a replica rather than a reconstruction. The original wood was not solid enough to use in a rebuild. To meet current construction standards, a second foundation had to be built inside the original foundation to support the massive structure and make it safe for non-agricultural use. The heavy-timber framework was precut offsite then shipped, August 3, to the park to be assembled. By August 12, it was partially finished and soon under roof. Work was completed in 2021.
Since the building was finished, it has been used during public events at Smeck Park such as Harvest Celebration (annually in mid-September) and other public programs.
The building needs to be stained and electricity will be installed in the not-so-distant future. Watch this spot and our Facebook page for updates.
Map
Directions
Directions from Lancaster: From the corner of N Memorial Dr (US-33) and W Main St (US-22), drive north toward Columbus on N Memorial Drive 0.4 miles. Turn right onto 6th Av; drive 0.1 miles. Turn left onto N Columbus St; drive 0.8 miles. N Columbus St turns slightly right and becomes Baltimore Rd NW (OH-158); continue for 7.0 miles. Turn left onto Leonard Rd NW; drive 0.5 miles. Turn right onto Basil Rd NW; drive 0.4 miles. The entrance is on the left.
Directions from Pickerington: From the corner of OH-256 and W Columbus St, drive east toward Baltimore on OH-256; drive approximately 8.3 miles. Turn right onto S Basil St (S Basil St becomes Basil Rd); drive 0.8 miles. The entrance is on the right.
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