The gist
The farm’s barn needed a roof replacement for “some time,” according to a release from the Grapevine Convention and Visitors Bureau. The farm received a grant for $80,000 through revenue from the city’s Main Street Fest and GrapeFest for the restoration.
Melva Stanfield, chair of the Grapevine Heritage Foundation, said Nash Farm is key in the “agricultural heritage” of Grapevine. When people attend Grapevine’s festivals, she said the money they spend gives back to the community.
“[Guests] may not even know it, but just by showing up they’re helping preserve the history in Grapevine, and that will make a difference for years to come,” she said in the release. “When it comes down to it, coming to our festivals is basically a community service and something to be proud of.”
The backstory
Nash Farm, located at 626 Ball St., is the oldest farmstead in Tarrant County and dates back to 1859, the release stated. Its farm home was authentically restored with accurate period furnishings and is open daily as a living history museum. Volunteers dress in period attire to explain what life in the home was like to visitors.
The barn is over 100 years old and is used for farm life, education and living history programs, the release stated.
“There’s nothing better than when kids put down their phones and tablets and light up when they experience Nash Farm,” said Balla Wright, Nash Farm volunteer and board member of Grapevine Heritage Foundation, in the release.
What’s next
McClung Roofing will place new fire-retardant cedar shingles and galvanized steel nails to make the roof functional again while maintaining the barn’s authenticity, according to the release. Work on the barn began July 24.
