Barn-B-Que Smokehouse

“The Barn-B-Que was built in Oak Harbor Ohio during the early 1850s.  Oak Harbor got its name due to the importance of the nearby Portage River and the large stands of virgin White Oak abundant in the area.   Oak Harbor had, by 1850, become a community of thirty-eight dwellings with one hundred eighty-seven people. When I look at the barn I like to think of that community at that point in time, wondering how many of those people contributed to building and erecting the barn.

I wish I knew the story of the barn until recent times but I’m afraid it’s lost to history… The Barn was last used as self-storage building having been partitioned into 4 separate compartments.

The barn frame is made from White Oak and measures 40′ x 60′   The size of the post and beams are amazing when you consider that they were fashioned by hand from single trees.  There are 4  rafter plates, each measuring 8″ x 8″ and 60 ft long, 5 tie beams measuring 12″ x 12″ and 40 ft long, 20 posts measuring 12″ x 12″ and 13 ft long.  All of these were cut from individual trees and crafted by hand.”

– Bill Borders, Owner