Boulder County Awarded $200K To Restore Historical Barn

BOULDER COUNTY, CO — History Colorado's State Historical Fund has awarded Boulder County Parks & Open Space a $200,000 grant to complete the first phase of the Wencel barn restoration, at N. 61st Street near Hygiene in Braly open space. The first construction phase of the project is slated to begin in the summer of 2020 and will be completed by the end of the year, officials said.

The first phase, which will be completed by a contractor, will include the rehabilitation of failing structural elements of the 116-year-old barn. Future phases will be completed by Boulder County Parks & Open Space staff, officials said.

The Boulder County Commissioners landmarked the barn in 2018.

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"The Wencel barn is an important enduring symbol of the area’s farming history and represents the type of family farm that has rapidly disappeared due to the increased land value and decreased farming profitability," Boulder County said in a public notice.

"This project embodies the county’s long-standing vision to preserve the rural character and cultural resources of unincorporated Boulder County through the identification and preservation of historic and archaeological sites and the protection of historic properties from destruction or harmful alteration."

The State Historical Fund is a statewide grants program that was created by the 1990 constitutional amendment, which allows limited gaming in the towns of Cripple Creek, Central City and Black Hawk. The amendment allows for a portion of the gaming tax revenues to be used for historic preservation projects throughout the state.

Visit the Boulder County website for more information and photos of the barn.