Historic Monrovia Carriage Barn Saved

Members of Monrovia City Council pose in front of the Historic Carriage Barn in its new location. The move was coordinated by Jimmy Hendrix (far left) who is seen here with Council Member Becky Shevlin, the artist Liesa Collins whose painting was presented to Tracey Tempel, the owner, Council Member Gloria Crudgington and Mayor Tom Adams. – Photo by Susan Motander

By Susan Motander

On Saturday a celebration was held on the new site of a very old Monrovia Carriage Barn. Several years ago, the barn was threatened with destruction when the house with which it was associated was sold. Through the efforts of the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group (MOHPG), the carriage barn was saved.

The barn, built in 1890, and house, built in 1889, sat on a double lot and the new owners of the house wanted to build a house on the second lot. They offered to give the barn to anyone who would move it to a new location. One of the owners even donated funds to assist in moving the barn.

One member of MOPHG stepped up and made a substantial pledge toward the monies necessary for the move. Another member, Jimmy Hendrix, scouted for a site and was the supervisor of the dismantling of the barn. Eventually a homeowner offered a location and agreed to pay for the reconstruction of the historic carriage barn.

As a non-profit, MOHPG could only finance the preservation of the barn, but not its reconstruction on private property. When the homeowner stepped up with the location and the funds to rebuild the carriage barn, it was the perfect partnership of a non-profit dedicated to preservation and a private individual with the same belief in historic preservation.

On Saturday, MOPHG and the many private citizens who donated to the preservation of the barn gathered to see the barn in its new location on Norumbega Drive. And that first major donor? He played his vintage recordings on his vintage Victrolas and smiled.

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