Barclay Farmstead would not be what it is today without friends.
One of the township’s most prominent historic and recreational sites came to be because of the Friends of Barclay Farmstead, an institution for decades. After the township purchased the farmstead as a historic site in 1975, the Friends restored the property’s home and eventually offered educational programs and community events.
To mark its 50th anniversary, the Friends hosted a celebration at the farmstead on Nov. 15, enabling guests to see the farmstead’s holiday home decorations. To accommodate the 100 people who attended – too many for the farmstead house alone – a heated tent was set up on the lawn outside.
Some of the original Friends were on hand, while the children and spouses of other members who couldn’t attend took their places.
Megan Brown is the recreation manager for the township’s recreation department, under which care of the farmstead falls.
“There was a lot of reconnection and just excited to be back together kind of feelings,” she said of the celebration.
In addition to the holiday decor, the house featured photos of the Barclay Farmstead when the Friends first began restoration efforts and through the last five decades. Holiday tours took place through November.
The Friends of Barclay Farmstead were shown in photos through the years at the group’s anniversary celebration on Nov. 15.
“There was a lot of just nostalgia in the display of the last 50 years and the people who have made an impact and telling some of the story of when the group of people kind of rallied around rehabbing the house and making it what it is today,” Brown explained.
But this year’s Christmas decorations were less important than allowing visitors to see how the house looks the rest of the year.
“They’re understated this year,” noted Betty Eigenrauch, a Friends volunteer. “We wanted to have a tree up, but it’s not the main thing in the room this year …”
The living area of the Barclay Farmstead’s historic house is decorated for the holiday season.
Photos from the Friends’ anniversary celebration remain on display for anyone who would like to learn about the efforts that went into creating the historical landmark known today as the Barclay Farmstead.
“It’s just a great testament to the impact of community volunteerism,” Brown observed. “You know that the farmstead would not be what it is today without that organization.”
