In the summer of 2005, the Smithsonian brought their national
traveling exhibit, “Barn
Again! Celebrating an American Icon,” to Maine.
In celebration of Maine’s barns, Lou McNally hosts
this Made in Maine show from the Smithsonian
exhibit at the Bethel
Historical Society.
Made in Maine drops in on builder John Connolly and
his Maine Barn
Company crew as they raise a brand new barn in the time-honored
timber frame tradition in Brooklin. Since 1982, Connolly
and his company have been building barns that retain the
classic country barn aesthetic that Americans have grown
to admire and love in structures across the country.
Viewers also meet The Barnwright -- Scott Hatch of Harrison, a man whose passion is saving old barns. In addition
to being an expert on structural assessment, Hatch also gives
regular guided tours that offer insight into the history
of early Maine bams, the difference between English and French
construction, and the merging of the two styles into the
barns we see in Maine today.
And finally, Made in Maine meets Al Jagger, whose company, Maine Vintage, Inc. in Portland, specializes in recycling
and relocating old timber framed houses and barns. Why buy
new when there are guys like Jagger around who’ll find
an old barn for you and deposit it on your property?
