At the bottom of Walnut Creek hill to the south on 39, Township Rd 421 runs east. If you drive straight east on 421 you will run into the side of the Mast family Barn. Township 421 jogs around the barn to the south. The farm has been there for many years, long before established roads in the area. I asked Paul Mast how old that barn was. He told me that the original deed from 1818 signed by James Monroe is in his possession and was written on calf skin. James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States (1817-1825). Monroe was the last president who was a founding father of the United states.
The barn has been added onto over the years and Paul said that one cornerstone has a date of 1826 and another with a date of 1880. There are many beams that have empty mortise pockets left from use in another building.
We headed out to the Mast farm Saturday afternoon to see the horses working in the field.
As we approached it looked like a woman was driving the team of Percheron. It was Naomi's daughter in law Jen while son Jesse was driving the baler team. It was fun to see two teams working the same field. There was a foot bridge at the back end of the field. It was built years ago to give access to the neighboring field across the stream. It is nothing more than 2 large I-beams bent to create an arch and welded together. Not pretty but it does the job, and has for many years. This is the same stream that runs to the east and under the new covered bridge less than a 1/4 mile away.
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