Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
kramlich barn rooftop
kramlich barn roof close up
--Jon Skoglund photos
A new roof takes form at the top of the 1919 Kramlich barn on Hauser Hill in Colfax. Barn work is being paid for by the Cocking family and a grant from the Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation.
The Kramlich barn project, on an east hill at Colfax, is moving ahead. The 1919 barn, the subject of a restoration effort begun this spring, now has a crew working to finish the roof this month. That will be followed by trim work, new windows and other details in the spring.
“Then we'll decide about paint and landscaping,” said Penny Cocking, the daughter of Paul Cocking of Colfax. The Cocking family owns the barn.
When the work is complete, the barn will be used for activities such as growing and drying edible flowers and plants for later marketing.
“We will continue to come up with more innovative ideas,” said Cocking.
Jon Skoglund of Cashmere, the contractor on the project, straightened and stabilized the structure in the spring. He skip-sheathed the roof, hacking off the old shingles to be replaced with a new round of cedar shingles, the same as the original.
Skip-sheating refers to replacing damaged 1x8 boards that make for the skeleton of the roof.
Inside the barn, Skoglund rebuilt the hay hood.
Working on his goal to have it ready for the roofing crew by winter, Skoglund finished in early October.
“The walls are plumb, the roofline is straight,” Skoglund said. “With a new roof, hopefully it will stand for another 50 to 100 years.”
Next spring, Skoglund will return to put in some additional permanent bracing.
“I'll make it look as historical as possible,” he said.
Added work may be to build a stairway to the hay loft – now served by a simple wood ladder. Skoglund will also restore the high, heavy hay loft door, which slides on a track. It was once pulled by horses.
A come-along and crank will allow it to be raised and lowered by hand.
The barn project is being paid for by the Cocking family and a matching grant from the Washington State Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation.
Cocking's plans are for her and her daughter, Amber Williams – both of Seattle – to use the barn and the two acres surrounding it for Rural Roots, a small organic farm operation, to grow native, edible plants, including Enkorn wheat.
Penny's efforts began five years ago when she started to apply for grants.
Eventually chosen last year for the matching preservation funds, she started a search in earnest for a contractor. By April of this year, Skoglund was inside the Kramlich barn loft as it turned white from a hailstorm, pellets dropping right through the weathered roof – its old iron hay claw still hanging from its track.
Skoglund, who works during the week in facilities maintenance for the Washington State Department of Transportation, is on his fourth barn restoration.
“This was the most enjoyable,” he said. “It's the first Gothic Arch style I've done. It's just very interesting to see how they built them, without power tools, probably done by hand on site.”
The Department of Archaeology & Historic Preservation grant program has so far funded restoration work on 85 barns in Washington.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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