PARIS — McLaughlin Foundation’s gift shop, located in part of the historic barn, is a major source of much-needed income for the foundation. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 8, and Sunday, Oct. 9, the gift shop will feature an end-of-season sale in order to move out as much inventory as possible. Funds earned will support the garden operation in the winter.

McLaughlin Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization in rural western Maine, responsible for the stewardship of the homestead of Bernard McLaughlin, Maine’s “Dean of Gardening.” The property includes an 1840s house and barn, and four lushly-planted acres of heritage gardens. The site was the first place in Maine to be listed on the National Historic Register as a cultural landscape because of its importance to the heritage of the area.

One activity planned for this winter is to make repairs to the barn, one of the oldest, continuously operated barns in New England. The barn is large and well built, with unusual rustic wood knee braces located in a portion of the barn. Typically these wood knee braces are used in construction of wooden ships. This same construction is used in the barn and is unique.

The barn was constructed in the American style that replaced the English side-aisle barns in the 1800s with a center aisle for access, hay to the right and animals to the left. The full complement of south-side shed, a manure shed or multi-purpose sheds, are all typical of the 1800s style of placement beside the barn.

The wonderful barn floor with its wide boards is reminiscent of days gone by when trees were large and robust with diameters greater than 35” to yield floorboards more than 20 inches in width. 

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