Barns don’t just hold hay. They hold cultural and architectural meaning. A ‘Barn Bash’ Friday, September 19 at the Center for the Arts in Jackson will explore the value of these agrarian artifacts through the premier of a new documentary, a panel discussion, and a barn dance.
The film, by Jackson’s JenTen Productions, is called ‘A Treasure Hidden In Plain Sight: The Moseley/Hardiman Barn.’ It documents the red landmark in Wilson, from its agricultural origins to its current use as the home of the Teton Raptor Center. Preservationist Mary Humstone says the Hardiman Barn’s reinvention points to a broader way of thinking about old buildings.
“There is a lot of labor, there’s a lot of really valuable materials that go into these buildings. And if we think creatively, we can usually find a way to adapt them to a new use,” she says.
Humstone says that means ditching the idea that buildings become obsolete and instead thinking about sustainability. She's is the co-founder of Barn Again, a national barn preservation program. Humstone will be joined by other historians for a panel discussion following the film premier. The 'Barn Bash' is part of Jackson Hole's Centennial celebration and will end with a dance led by a caller and a live string band.