History: Salvaging red barn at Sierra House

Publisher’s note: This is from the September 1973 Lake Tahoe Historical Society newsletter.

By Bill Hauck

Recently two afternoons were spent at the Sierra House Elementary School site salvaging portions of the old red barn for the Historical Society.

On Saturday afternoon, August 25th, Henry Newburgh, Mike Magliari, Ed Laine, and I ripped off the exterior siding [of obviously later vintage] and removed the original wide siding boards [up to 24 inches wide] from both sides of the barn. Ed Laine and a friend took many interior photographs also.

On Sunday afternoon, August 26th, Phil Greuner, Henry Newburgh, Merritt Hollingsworth, Dick Hargrove, Brian Hayes, and I sawed off the rafter poles, peeled off the adjacent end siding, and removed the side wall framing from the south side, disassembling it and marking its uprights, braces, etc.

With the exception of the almost 30 foot long top beam, which was left at the school site out of the construction area [along with the two Sierra House sheds donated by Bohannon], the siding and the rest of the framing was taken to Mrs. Hazel Taylor’s, where she kindly provided inside storage for it.