Heritage Barn

: A native of Denmark, Marsh Miller arrived in Skagit County in 1885, at which time he purchased a 110 acre farm. Only five acres had been cleared. The early settlers of the Skagit Valley had to clear acres of trees from the rich bottom land, as well as create vast drainage systems, in order to begin farming. By 1906, Mr. Miller had cleared 75 acres. The original center section of the barn is built in a post and beam style, with posts hewn from trees. The barn was made much larger with the addition of walls and shed roofs on three sides. In 1928 the barn was converted to a milking barn. The barn was purchased by the Hedlund family in 1945. They built the house that stands near the barn just prior to their move to the property. Those who remember the barn in its prime recall it as ‘picture perfect’. In 1987 the farm was sold to Nick Van der Vis to increase his neighboring dairy farm. Nick and Elisabeth Van der Vis came from the Netherlands in 1955. In 1962 they purchased the farm adjacent to the Hedlunds. Through hard work, Nik prospered as a dairy farmer. Retiring from dairying in 1987, he continued to keep beef cattle while leasing the remaining acreage. Mr. Van der Vis passed away in 2013. The farm remains a part of the family trust. 

Linking to Tom's Barn Collective~~~~~HERE