The massive and picturesque red and white barn complex of Edgewood Farm is a prominent and familiar visual landmark in Orchard Park. The gambrel roof structure is both a historic and symbolic representation of the agrarian heritage of the town. It was built for the enterprising Harry Yates about 1923 on the then 100-year-old Ransom Jones farm. The barn is sited near the 1825 Jones-Yates-Morgan farmhouse, considered by Austin Fox to be one of the best Greek revival houses in Erie County. Together the two buildings represent the essential agricultural history of the suburban town. The size of the barn reflects the immensity of the Edgewood Farm operation and the business acumen of Yates.

Harry Yates (1869-1956) was a respected and prominent figure in the development of Orchard Park. He was further acknowledged as a beneficent philanthropist. The distinctive tile-roof Orchard Park railroad station is credited to his influence.

In 2004 a local developer purchased 30 acres of land containing the barn, the Greek revival farmhouse and a creek. At that time the barn was actively in use for horse stabling – 30 stalls were occupied. With the perception that the barn might be demolished for new construction, the occupancy dwindled to zero.

There is now a creditable effort to preserve the barn by first designating it as a local landmark under the town’s preservation ordinance. It is reasonable to expect success. The barn is a de facto landmark, valuable to the identity and self-image of the town, and it qualifies under several of the ordinance’s criteria.

The community is working to find a solution that will be acceptable to the new owner and provide income to maintain and operate the building. Some grant money is available to officially-designated landmark barns. The objective is to allow the barn to be a resource that could enhance development opportunities. We applaud these efforts.

• Agriculture
• Buildings
• Development & Urban Renewal
• Erie County
• Land Development
• People
• Western New York