Wood Lily

This family selected the Wood Lily pattern because they own quilts and enjoy history of places and things. The barn is a “hip roof” style, wood structure with a metal roof. There is an identical barn behind it, and through the years they have come to be known as the “Twin Barns”. Over 100 years old, both were built in the late 1800s and have saw mill frame work and siding. The north barn with the original “vented” siding, was built for curing tobacco and as a tool shed. Tobacco was last grown on the farm in the late 1930s, and 50 rails of tobacco were last hung in the barn by neighbors Everet and Reta Lavy in the late 1970s.

In 1956, a small house that stood south of the twin barns on this 20 acre property caught fire. Pleasant Hill’s new fire engine, a 1956 Ford F-800, made its first run to this fire, according to Pat Kauffman who was Fire Chief at the time. The fire was successfully extinguished. But being an old house, it was torn down and a new one built west of where the old one was located. The current owners of the property have lived here since 1974. They bought that same fire truck in 2000 and it resides on their property also.

For many years they planted and harvested the remaining 11 acres, and raised steers and 4H rabbits in the quilt barn. Memories include fun times of shucking the outside row of corn by hand with the kids. This was done to “open up” the field for the corn picker. Also the kids enjoyed riding the truck or tractor to the farm elevator in town.

On this property and at the corner of Mowry and Thomas Road is a cement post with a date of 1908. Records show this area as being a small town called Lickskillet, and a one room school house 3/4 mile south served this area. Used as a residence for many years, fire destroyed the old school house in the late 1990s.

Located just northeast of Pleasant Hill. Take St. Route 48 north from the center of Pleasant Hill; turn right (east) onto W. Thomas Rd. Continue about 1-1/2 miles to Mowery Rd. The barn is located on the northwest corner of this intersection and the quilt square is on the side that actually faces Mowry Rd. The quilt square is best viewed looking West (coming from the East) on Thomas Rd. toward Mowry.

OR – From Troy, take Rt. 718 west to Forrest Hill Rd. Turn right (north) and continue less than 2 miles to Thomas Rd. – turn left and travel about 1 ½ miles to Mowry Rd. You should be able to view the barn easily as you approach Mowry.