Community Corner

Preservation Bloomfield Continues Commitment to Barton Farmhouse

Organizers said they plan to start an endowment for perpetual funding of the historic farmhouse.





The hundreds who attended the Gingerbread Brunch and Family Hour enjoyed great food, exquisite local entertainment and festive holiday cheer Thursday and Friday at Oakland Hills Country Club. But behind the pageantry and fun that comes with showcasing some of the most talented chefs in the area is a 
a lot of hard work by a committed few that want to preserve a piece of Bloomfield's past for its future.

The Friends of Preservation Bloomfield, led by chairpersons Mia Materka, Sue Nine and Carol Shaya, and a handful of other committee members, organize the annual fund-raiser for the Barton Farmhouse, now a permanent fixture at the Charles L. Bowers School Farm in Bloomfield Township. That wouldn't be possible without the funds raised by raffles, auctions and other contributions at the annual Gingerbread Brunch, roughly $750,000 to date, Nine said. 

"It's a remarkable amount of money raised, and there's a big commitment," said Nine, who helped build the unique collaboration between the governments of Bloomfield Hills and Bloomfield Township, the Bloomfield Hills Schools and the Bloomfield Historical Society. The money helped relocate the house, built in 1832, from Bloomfield Hills to the farm site in 2008, and its restoration. 

The exterior is fully restored, and the house and the Craig Log Cabin nearby were open for limited use during the past year. Work on the interior to make the space useable for the community is still a priority, organizers said. That will likely require an endowment to keep funding perpetual, Nine announced Friday.

In addition to the gingerbread house competition and auction, attendees heard performances from accomplished musician Sonia Lee and her children, Trinity and William; and pianist Stephanie Yu. 

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