Every day, Don Houston walks up to his old family barn in Hopkinton to photograph and document its transformation during the ongoing renovation.

This century-old barn on Houston Drive, deeply rooted in Houston’s family history, holds sentimental value, as Houston and his two brothers were born on the farm where the barn stands.

Now, under the ownership of the town of Hopkinton, the historic structure – located on the same campus as the town’s library and senior center – is being restored to preserve its structural integrity and ensure its future use.

“Its size and heritage are special,” said Houston, a Houston Barn Advisory Committee member. “We always visualize the barn as the centerpiece of the campus.”

As the restoration progresses, the project has reached a significant milestone with the demolition of the old foundation in June.

Currently, the barn rests on a raised platform and its original foundation is being removed to make way for laying the new foundation, which is scheduled to be laid in mid-July.

Once the new foundation is completed, the barn will be lowered back, effectively restoring it to its former position.

After the barn was purchased by the town over 25 years ago, it has been used for several purposes like training space for the Fire Department, operating space for the Building and Grounds Department, storage for equipment and by various town organizations.

Neal Cass, the town administrator said that once the renovation is completed, the Building and Grounds Department will return to the barn and it will continue to be utilized primarily for storage purposes.

The journey to renovate the Houston Barn began when the town of Hopkinton was awarded a Historic Barn Assessment Grant by the state’s Preservation Alliance in June 2021. An inspection conducted at that time revealed that the barn was in good condition overall, but over the year, it suffered damage to the flooring and the roof.

This prompted the establishment of the Houston Barn Advisory Committee in 2021 to devise a plan and explore various options for the renovation.

In last year’s town meeting, residents voted in favor of allocating $875,000 to redo the foundation and install a new roof for the barn.

“I think so many people want to keep some touch of history; there’s been a number of people in town wanting to preserve the building, just as the historical value of it,” said Houston, emphasizing the community’s desire to safeguard the barn amidst the demolitions of others in the area.

Currently resting on a raised platform, the barn’s renovation work is projected to be completed by late fall.

While the barn’s primary purpose will continue to serve as a storage facility, Houston envisions other uses for it in the future.

“In future years it could be made into a three-season venue where weddings happen,” explained Houston. “The foundation is going to be redesigned so that that future prospect could happen.”

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