Saving a Historic Iowa Barn: A Love Story Forged in Time

Some structures are more than wood, stone, and nails. They hold whispers of the past, echoes of hard work, and the laughter of those who came before. At 1884 On The Bluff, our 139-year-old barn is one of those places. It has stood for generations, watching over the land, sheltering farm animals, and enduring the elements. Built by Martin Spring, a Bavarian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. at age 23, this barn was once part of a thriving homestead. Over the years, time had its way with it—weather, gravity, and neglect took their toll. By the time we found it, the barn was on the verge of collapse, its foundation slipping, its beams weakened, and its roofline leaning in surrender to time.

But we saw something worth saving.

A Labor of Love and Determination

In 2018, when Doug and I first walked this property, we didn’t just see an old, failing barn. We saw a legacy. And we fell deeply, inexplicably in love with it.

Many would have knocked it down and started fresh. It would have been easier. Faster. Cheaper. But we didn’t come here for easy—we came to honor history and breathe life back into what was nearly lost.

Doug took this restoration on with sheer will and determination. The work was immense:

The foundation had to be completely repaired, requiring 1,440 lbs of cement and 1,020 lbs of mortar just to stabilize it. Doug hauled truckloads of quick-crete, tuck-pointed every vulnerable stone, and cleared mountains of debris both inside and out. We were grateful to get help when we could and Doug's cousin, Scott & his wife, Eve, came to our rescue tackling much of the tuck-point.

Rotten boards were removed, straightened, or replaced, always striving to keep as much of the barn’s original character as possible. The entire structure itself was literally pulled back to plumb using massive steel brackets and barge ropes—an incredible feat that took careful precision. Equipment was rented, beams were reinforced, deep holes were dug (and filled with rainwater just to test our patience!), and every inch of the barn was studied, strengthened, and secured.

For over two years, the work continued. We scraped layers of old manure, removed poison ivy, trimmed trees, and hauled gravel—repeating each step again and again. The barn had waited over a century for this care, and we were determined to give it what it deserved.

From Workhorse to Wedding Magic

Once a home for farm animals, this barn now witnesses first dances under its beams.

It glows with soft light, casting streaks of sun through its worn planks and knot holes, creating a romantic, ethereal space where couples twirl in celebration of their forever. The same beams that stood beneath farmers’ hands now hold up chandeliers and garlands, and the stone foundation, once cracked and slipping, now supports new love stories.

We have hosted baby showers, dinners under the supermoon, and countless first dances in this barn. It is no longer just a relic—it is alive again, filled with music, laughter, and the heartbeat of something bigger than all of us.

Honoring the Past, Building the Future

We have walked through history here. We have traced Martin Spring’s journey from Bavaria to America, stood at his gravesite, and brought flowers from the land he built his life on. In some ways, we are continuing his story, making sure his craftsmanship stands for another hundred years or more.

And so, we leave the light on in the barn, just like we did in the stone house when we wired it for electricity for the first time. A beacon of what was, what is, and what will be.

To everyone who has helped us along the way, who has believed in this place and its magic—thank you. You are part of this story, too.

And to Doug—who has poured his soul into this barn, day after day, rain or shine, with a quiet, unwavering strength—there are no words big enough to capture what you’ve done.

This barn still stands because of you.

And, as we always knew, it was never just a barn. It was a promise, a legacy, and a love story written in wood and stone. 

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