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Owner seeks to stabilize and restore 1750-era barn in Charlestown
Summary
Property owner Stephen Drahus asked the Charlestown Township Historical Commission/HARB on Jan. 21, 2026 for guidance on stabilizing and making watertight a barn he said may date to about 1750; members urged preserving original vertical siding on the road-facing elevations and discussed cost and construction tradeoffs.
Stephen Drahus of 3047 Yellow Springs Road asked the Charlestown Township Historical Commission/HARB for input on restoring a roadside barn, saying he plans to hire an Amish builder to stabilize the timber frame and make the structure watertight.
Drahus told the commission he intends to replace existing siding with off-white LP SmartSide panels but believes the barn dates to about 1750 and wants the renovation to endure for future owners. Several HARB members urged approaches that would retain the historic appearance: Carol Quigley recommended preserving some of the vertical board siding and, where possible, relocating original boards to the primary view side so the road-facing elevations retain historic fabric. Melissa Dicranian suggested removing only deteriorated panels, covering siding from the inside, or re-staining original boards rather than wholesale replacement. Nancy Long noted the property sits in a “critical viewshed” and recommended visual preservation measures.
Commission members discussed practical constraints. Quigley questioned panel thickness and warned that re-covering boards may create a striped appearance; she also suggested limewash where whitewash has worn away. Drahus said some of the suggested treatments could increase project cost and that he had not yet defined a future use for the barn. Dan Wright, P.E., observed that three sides of the barn are visible from Yellow Springs Road, with the fourth side backing to Deerfield Open Space, which affects visual treatment options.
The commission did not record a formal vote or binding direction; members offered design and preservation recommendations for Drahus to discuss with his builder and to consider before proceeding. No formal application decision was recorded in the minutes.
