Restore/Preserve/Adapt The Star Barn

Barns are beloved landmarks in this area of the state. One in particular has always intrigued us and caused concern about its longevity.

Now fully restored after being moved from Dauphin County to Stone Gables Estate in Elizabethtown, The Star Barn has a new lease on life.

Likemost Central Pennsylvanians, David Abel had driven by The Star Barn throughout his life. He was aware of the various efforts that had been made to save it. He never envisioned himself playing such a role until his wife, Tierney, suggested they save the barn and restore it to its original glory. They were rewarded with a C. Emlen Urban Award for their efforts.

Built by Colonel John Motter in 1877, The Star Barn was used to house his prized horses. Motter, who was a man of faith, conveyed his belief in God and country through the barn’s design that was distinguished by towering cupolas and louvered ventilators. Built a dozen years after the Civil War ended, the five-pointed stars seen on the barn represented Motter’s hope that the reunified country would prosper once again. The stars also represented the five distinctive wounds Christ suffered at his crucifixion. Other faith-oriented elements included cathedral-style windows, barn spires that pointed toward heaven and fleur-de-lis finials that represented the Holy Trinity.

In the late 1920s, the farm became a dairy operation; over the course of time, the 164-acre spread was reduced to just under four acres. By the latter part of the 20th century, encroaching development, neglect and the environmental stresses related to traffic on nearby Route 283 caused the barn and its complementary outbuildings to further deteriorate. Despite its condition, The Star Barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

IN 2014, the Abels and DAS Companies acquired The Star Barn and the other outbuildings. Over the course of several months, the buildings were meticulously disassembled. With West Donegal Township providing zoning approval, plans to move the structures to Elizabethtown proceeded. Excavation began in spring 2016 to create a site for them to be rebuilt. Working with a host of companies and individuals who possessed the craftsmanship and vision to restore and preserve such a treasure, the Abels were able to utilize 90% of the structure to rebuild the barn. However, its exterior is actually new construction. The purpose of taking that route was to protect the original barn and to conceal modern-day materials such as steel beams, wiring, insulation, climate-control systems, etc.

Completed in 2018, The Star Barn Village has become an events venue that hosts weddings and other social occasions, as well as seasonal events that are open to the public. In addition, net profits from such events benefit Brittany’s Hope, a nonprofit organization founded by the Abel family in 2000, which aids orphaned, at-risk and special-needs children worldwide.

For more information, visit stonegablesestate.com.