About 150,000 drivers a day see the Delaware County Bicentennial Barn from Interstate 71, according to the Delaware Gazette. The paper called it possibly the most photographed structure in the county. Almost all of those photos show the same thing: the Ohio Bicentennial logo and the slate roof, seen for a few seconds through a windshield.
At the August ribbon cutting, the ceremony was held at the barn's front entrance. The Gazette described that entrance as the side that does not face the freeway. That detail sums up the project. The barn the region knows from the interstate was rebuilt as a public park building you walk up to from Bale Kenyon Road. It now sits at the center of McCammon Creek Park, a 248-acre park in three sections, all linked by Orange Township's multi-use path.
A farm family's barn that became the county's postcard
The McCammon family had farmed this land since 1812, according to Preservation Parks of Delaware County. The barn itself dates to the early 1900s. In 1999 it became one of Ohio's 88 Bicentennial Barns, painted ahead of the state's 200th birthday in 2003, as Delaware Source reported. A Preservation Parks FAQ from April 2026 lists the painting year as 1998, so the exact year depends on which document you read. Scott Hagan, the artist behind the statewide program, painted the original logo. He came back in early August 2026 to repaint it.
The barn is officially the Jim and Gay McCammon Barn. It is named for two lifelong Orange Township residents, and Jim farmed the land that is now the park. Their daughter Sue and her husband, Bob Postle, donated the barn to Preservation Parks in 2019. They also sold 32 acres around it for the park. In 2020 the park board voted unanimously to name the park for the family and for the creek that runs through the property.
At the dedication, the Postles were plain about it, as the Delaware Gazette reported:
"We didn't have any specific dream about the property, but it's a dream come true," said Bob Postle. "It's awful nice to see some of it remain."
Sue Postle told the paper she was glad "the barn and all these beautiful trees are preserved the way it is."
Taken apart, moved 50 feet, and rebuilt to be used
Preservation Parks didn't just repair the old barn in place. It took the barn apart and rebuilt it on a new foundation about 50 feet from where it stood, then added an annex so the public could use it. The published schedule called for dismantling in May and June 2025, then earthwork, utilities and foundation work, then framing and finishes from October 2025 through March 2026. Equity Construction Solutions of Hilliard did the work.
Here is what went back into the building, according to Delaware Source's account of the park district's release:
- Kept: the Vermont green slate roof, the cupola, the hand-hewn beams, the original wood siding and the traditional timber frame
- Added in the annex: a service kitchen, accessible restrooms with a universal changing station, storage, office space, and lower-level classrooms for future programs
The barn's original siding was reused on the interior walls. Visitors walk past the same boards that faced the weather for about a century. The event space now has chandeliers. It is named for former Congressman Pat Tiberi, who told the Gazette he was "grateful beyond words to be part of this park."
The price went up as the work went on. The May 2025 announcement listed a $4.4 million contract. The April 2026 FAQ listed $4.65 million. Coverage after the opening put the total at $4.68 million. As of the April FAQ, the funding included a $500,000 state grant and $670,000 raised by the Preservation Parks Foundation. Park District funds covered the rest. That means most of the cost was paid by the park district itself, through the county park system's own budget.
Three park areas, one path between them
The barn opened alongside new trails. Together they turned three separate pieces of land into one park you can walk through. McCammon Creek Park North opened in 2024 at 3675 E. Orange Road. The Barn Area is at 6840 Bale Kenyon Road, and the new East Area is at 7093 Bale Kenyon Road. Preservation Parks lists the trails this way:
| Trail | Area | Length and surface | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Fox | North | 1.25 miles, gravel | Moderate |
| Harvest | Barn | 1.0 mile, gravel and grass | Slight |
| Autumn | Barn | 0.5 miles, gravel and grass | Steep |
| Sycamore Bend | East | 1.4 miles, gravel and grass | Slight |
Several trailheads start on local streets as well as at parking lots. The Harvest Trail loops around the barn and connects to the parking lot off Bale Kenyon Road and to Farmer's Delight Drive. The Autumn Trail runs from Autumn Applesauce Drive to the Harvest loop. Sycamore Bend crosses prairie to picnic tables, restrooms and parking. Orange Township's paved multi-use path links all three areas, so you can walk or bike between them without moving the car. Leashed dogs are allowed.
Hours change on Nov. 1, which matters for evening walks. The park is open 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. through Oct. 31, then 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. from November through February.
Why the next five weeks are the easiest time to get inside
The trails are open during park hours, but the barn interior has set public hours. Preservation Parks is running public open houses this fall where visitors can tour the barn and learn about renting it. The rental page says reservations are now open for 2027. The hall seats 112 banquet-style or 144 auditorium-style. The April FAQ projected that rentals would begin in January 2027. After that, many of the barn's days will go to receptions, meetings and family reunions. This fall's posted open hours are the simplest way to walk in without a booking.
Here is what's left on the calendar from today, Oct. 12, 2026:
- Tonight, Monday, Oct. 12, 5 to 7 p.m. Second-Monday barn open house.
- Tuesdays, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., through Nov. 17, and Thursdays, 1 to 3 p.m., through Nov. 19. Weekday open houses.
- Thursday, Oct. 22, 7 to 8:30 p.m. "Historic Barns of Delaware County," a Preservation Parks program whose event listing carries the McCammon Creek Park Bicentennial Barn name. The listing's address is the park district's Sunbury office, so check the venue on the Preservation Parks calendar before you go.
- Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m. "Try It: Trek a New Trail," an all-ages hike in the East Area. Trekking poles are provided.
- Saturday, Oct. 31, 6 to 8 p.m. Orange Township trick-or-treat. The township says Oct. 31 is now its permanent date.
- Saturday, Nov. 7. Yoga & Hike in the Barn Area.
- Sunday, Nov. 8, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The last weekend open house of the season.
- Monday, Nov. 9, 5 to 7 p.m. The final evening open house.
The park page and the barn's facility page list different start dates for the first weekly open houses. Both agree on the October and November schedule.
What's still on paper
The opening covered the barn and the trails, not the whole plan. Preservation Parks' development schedule puts Barn Area restroom construction in 2027. A Barn Area canopy walkway, a shelter, a stage, a farm-themed playground, and North Area restrooms with an Adventure Zone are all listed with no date yet. The annex's lower-level classrooms are set aside for future educational programming.
In a press release quoted by Delaware Source, Executive Director Mary Van Haaften said the opening was "at least 10 years in the making." The work started with the first land purchase and continued through habitat restoration, trail building and the barn. The land was bought in pieces between 2015 and 2024. For now, the easiest way in is the Harvest Trail from Farmer's Delight Drive to the barn door on the side that faces away from I-71.
At Dedra Lucas, we follow how places like McCammon Creek Park change daily life in Orange Township, including which streets connect to the new trails and the township path. If the barn's reopening has you curious about the Lewis Center streets within walking distance of it, Let's Connect.
