January 24, 2011 - Clarke Daily News
Barns of Rose Hill Holds First Annual Meeting
by Mark Dowling

July 2010 - After a much needed rain shower passed through Berryville Saturday morning, government officials, residents, and board members of the Barns of Rose Hill foundation gathered to celebrate perhaps the most significant milestone for the project to date. With funding in place and a construction contract approved, the crowd gathered at the site of the Barns to officially break ground on the new facility.

The Barns of Rose Hill has been a a community project for decades in Clarke County. It is envisioned as a space to celebrate life, the arts, and culture as well as enhance the quality of life for members of the community. The 7,438-square-foot facility will also serve as a tourism office for visitors to our community.

As the gathered crowd settled into seats the president of the Barns of Rose Hill board of directors, Diana Kincannon welcomed everyone to the, “truly auspicious occasion.” Joining her at the podium were Mayor Wilson Kirby, Virginia Delegate, Joe May, and Chairman of the Clarke County Board of Supervisors, Michael Hobert. Each took the opportunity to thank the community and say a few words.

Mayor Wilson Kirby recounted his path to Berryville and his service on the board of the Rose Hill project before becoming Mayor of Berryville. He said, “This is a great day for Clarke County and the town of Berryville. The Barns are an inspiration to me.”

Delegate Joe May took to the podium next. He expressed his affinity for the county and the project stating, “I can’t tell you how proud I am to see what’s happening here this morning. I have to tell you that it is projects like this that differentiate a community. We have a community that has cohesiveness, cooperation that actually like each other and that work together.”

He also took the opportunity to thank Diana Kincannon for her tireless work on the project. “Regarding Diana I don’t know how to sum it up except I was once quoted by a reporter in talking about my sister Phoebe who was a member of the general assembly. I commented that she made bulldogs look like quitters…move over Phoebe.”

Board of Supervisors Chair, Michael Hobert took the microphone next and recounted his experiences at the barns as a youth. “This is a very personal experience for me. Over fifty years ago I used to play here on a daily basis on these grounds and in these barns with the McGuinny boys that used to live in the little house back there, some of you might know them. I must also say that I’m a little embarrassed to admit that we burned down a shed that used to sit over there. Lucky for you we didn’t play with matches here.”

He went on to paint a picture of what the Barns of Rose Hill means to the community now and what it will mean to future generations in Clarke County.  "It’s often been said that those who construct their own shelter are replicating themselves at the deepest and most significant level. I believe the same can be said of a community. I believe the courageous and consistent effort to commit to the restoration of these barns represents who we are as a community. We are about to pass on to others our contribution to promote, not only the enrichment of the community at this center for arts and education, but also demonstrating how cooperating and steadfast commitment to a common purpose will result in a quality place to live. On behalf of Clarke County I thank the Barns of Rose Hill, the Town of Berryville, the Town of Boyce, our friends from the General Assembly, and the many supporting service organizations in the county and the hundreds of businesses and individuals who donated money as well as time and effort to make this day possible. We are grateful and most proud that we could accomplish this together".

Diana Kincannon, president of the Barns board wrapped up the comments by thanking the countless people who have been involved in the project over the years, in particular the board of directors for the Barns of Rose Hill. Ms. Kincannon took the opportunity to recognize all of the members who were present. Her feelings about the dedication and work of the board were summed up in her comment, “Make no mistake our board has made today possible.”

She also spoke about the project and the vision of the board shares about it saying,  “The nearly six years of the capital campaign have been a journey of discovery imagination and of commitment. It has been a privilege and honor for me to work with a smart creative and active board of directors. They have directed and corrected me, and they know how much I have needed that direction and correction, and I thank you. They have worked hard and well all motivated by a vision for the Barns Center as a unique and beautiful resource for our people. A place for poetry and music, theater and film, a place to encourage creativity, and to build relationships. A place to explore life and its wonders and complexities. Where we can come to understand more about who we are and who we can be. And the restored barns will be a beautiful symbol of the agricultural heritage of our beautiful Shenandoah Valley.”

With the thanks delivered, the speakers and representatives from the construction and architectural firms took their shovels and in unison turned over the first shovels of dirt symbolically launching the construction phase of the long awaited project.

July 2010 - Saturday, July 10, marked an important event in the life of the grass-roots campaign to restore the two barns in Berryville’s Rose Hill Park for a life of public service as a center for community, arts and education. Rain clouds cleared away, allowing blue sky and sunshine to brighten the groundbreaking ceremony as more than 50 people gathered to celebrate the occasion.

I’d like to thank Delegate Joe May, Mayor Wilson Kirby, and Supervisor Michael Hobert for offering their congratulations. I was grateful for their participation, and for the opportunity that morning to thank those who made the day possible—our fine Board, the many volunteers who have served and the nearly 1,000 people, businesses, foundations and public offices who have contributed over the nearly six years of our capital campaign.
While it wasn’t possible for me to thank everyone individually in my remarks, we were pleased to recognize every contributor by name in a series of printed posters, appropriately attached to the front wall of the large barn Saturday morning; in this way, everyone who made the day possible was there with us.

There is a person to whom I’d like to give a special word of thanks here, and that is Miss

Alexandra McKay, for the countless hours she has put in as our intern over the last year. With unfailing energy, flexibility and technical wizardry she has contributed to every aspect of the Barns project, from grants research to graphic arts to event promotions and our auction gala. Thank you, Alex—you are a treasure. Some lucky employer will find you soon. Then what will we do?

As anyone who works with a non-profit organization knows, much relies on the generosity of volunteers. We could not have succeeded in the Barns campaign were it not for the great good will and gifts of time and talent of so many. Tracy Anderson, Diane Harrison, Sandy and Mike Masquith, and John and Linda Matticks have been particularly supportive. George Dellinger, Wayne Armbrust and Stan Kerns on our Building Committee have our profound thanks, and I offer my deep gratitude to our volunteer board of directors, whose dedication, judgment and generosity have won the day.

Building will get under way soon, and in 12 to 15 months we will be able to celebrate the grand opening of the new 7600-square-foot Barns of Rose Hill Center for Community, Arts and Education.

July 2010 -  J. Michael Hobert remembers as a boy playing in and around the Smithy family's barns more than 50 years ago.

On Saturday morning, the Clarke County Board of Supervisors chairman and the community celebrated breaking ground on a project to turn the barns into an arts, education and visitors center. Dozens of supporters of The Barns of Rose Hill renovation and restoration turned out for the event.  "This day has been a long day coming, a groundbreaking that has brought together many private and public resources, to create a new community arts and visitors center for the people of Berryville, Clarke County and Virginia," said Diana Kincannon, executive director of The Barns of Rose Hill.

"It's a great day for Clarke County and the town of Berryville to be able to witness and experience this great event," said Mayor Wilson Kirby, also an artist, who served on the Barns' board of directors for five years. "Although fundraising is not my forte, I decided to be a part of the Barns project because the barns are an inspiration to me."

Kirby supplied two new renderings of the barns for the groundbreaking.
Del. Joe May, R-Leesburg, helped secure $52,500 from the Virginia General Assembly through the Department of Historic Resources for the project.

"I have to tell you, it's projects like this that differentiate a community," May said. "I often say to my colleagues, 'I wouldn't trade my district with any of you' ... because we have a community that has cohesiveness, cooperation, they actually like each other. They get along. They work together."

The Board of Supervisors appropriated $100,000 to the project and another $50,000 which the Barns matched, according to Kincannon.  "This is a very personal experience for me," Hobert said. "Over 50 years ago, I played here on a daily basis on these grounds and in these barns. ... I must also say I'm a little embarrassed to admit that we burned down a shed that used to sit over here. Lucky for you we didn't play with matches [in the barns]."

Community leaders years ago envisioned "a new life for these icons of our heritage," Hobert recalled.
"I believe the courageous and persistent effort to commit to the restoration of these barns represents who we are as a community," Hobert said. "We are about to pass on to others our contribution to promote not only the enrichment of the community with this center for arts and education but also how, by demonstrating and by cooperating and steadfast commitment to a common purpose, will result in the preservation of a quality place to live."

Horace Smithy bequeathed the barns and land to the town in 1964, according to group's website. His daughter, Sally Smithy Caldwell, who died recently, served on the Barns' board of directors.  Former Mayor Rick Sponseller recalled that the effort to restore the barns first began in 1969. That initiative eventually ended, but he and other supporters came together in 1988 to secure the barns and work to keep them from deteriorating.

The Barns of Rose Hill formed in 2004 and recently raised its goal of raising $1.6 million. Fundraising efforts continue because the group will need to buy items for the center, Kincannon said.   The organization awarded a contract of $1.259 million to H&W Construction Co. Inc., of Frederick County. Kincannon said the group hopes the cost comes in under $1.35 million. The project is expected to take 12-15 months and open in the fall of 2011, she said.

Sisters Margaret and Clara Barthel have lived in a house next to the barns for 47 years. Margaret Barthel attended the groundbreaking and said she supports the effort.   "I think it'll work out well," she said. "When you just have empty buildings standing like that, you don't know what's gonna happen."