Oakland…. The statewide Michigan Historic Preservation Network (MHPN) awarded Oakland Township Historical Society(OTHS) and Oakland Township an MHPN 2006 Community Award for the Flumerfelt Barn preservation project at their annual preservation conference held in Saginaw on Friday April 21, 2006.  The MHPN Awards annually honor historic preservation projects that are a significant achievement in preserving Michigan heritage.  Oakland Township Supervisor Joan Fogler and Oakland Township Historical Society President Carolyn Dulin with Ed and Marj Dunwoody accompanied by Judy Workings, Chairperson of the Oakland Township Historic District Commission, accepted the award from MHPN at a ceremony at the magnificent, restored Temple Theater in Saginaw.   This year MHPN Awards honored commercial building projects and the Temple Theater restoration but only one barn project.

The Flumerfelt Barn built in 1879 in Oakland Township as part of an early settler farmstead, was rescued and preserved in a community project involving the Oakland Township Historical Society, Oakland Township government and local volunteers since 2006.  Volunteers under the direction of barn right Steve Stier of Lansing dismantled the old gable barn over a weekend and carted it to a new location in township-owned Cranberry Lake Park six miles away.   Later, volunteers gathered again under the direction of Steve Stier and reconstructed the timber frame barn using manual construction methods.  Volunteers completed the reconstruction and dedicated the barn to Oakland Township for use by both the Society and the Parks and Recreation Commission as a meeting and event facility. The barn stands in the park’s Cranberry Lake Farm Historic District at 384 West Predmore Road amid a collection of old agricultural machines and near a silo. 

“Moving this unique, historic barn turned into a community effort involving township officials, Society members and volunteers who all enthusiastically worked to make this project successful.  It is completely paid for.”  says Carolyn Dulin, Society president.  “We learned quite a bit about timber frame construction including how to make wooden pegs by hand to help put the barn frame back up.”   Volunteers, residents and township officials enjoyed the barn dedication ceremony held last June 1 honoring the project locally. The project involved close to 100 people.   

Charter Township of Oakland is located in northern Oakland County,  www.oaklandtownship.org.  Oakland Township Historical Society is a non-profit organization founded in 1974 to preserve the unique history of Oakland Township in Oakland County.   

To visit the park and see the barn, contact OTHS at 248-693-8660.