The few farm buildings remaining at the 1810 Mosher homestead at the intersection of routes 25 and 237 and the “hilltop barn” that stood just down the road were the last tangible reminders of the area’s rich agricultural history. This past week Shaw Brothers Family Foundation dismantled the skeleton of the 200-year-old barn and plans to reconstruct it at their Cherry Hill Farm public recreational area. Walter Simpson, who donated the barn, intends to build a self-storage facility on the site.

When reconstructed at Cherry Hill Farm, the barn will become part of the foundation’s Legacy Farm. “We hope that by saving this historic building,” Jon Shaw said, “we can contribute to preserving one more piece of Gorham’s agricultural past.”

The mission of Shaw’s non-profit foundation includes operating “an educational farm and providing land for a future farm market to sell local foods.” As part of that plan, the Mosher barn will join a new larger barn being constructed at Cherry Hill. The new building will house a small herd of cattle that will graze near the hiking trails. The Mosher barn probably will be used for offices and storage. The complex also will include two public bathrooms to replace the portables in the parking lot.

A crane removed framework beams which will be transported to Maine Mountain Post and Beam in Fryberg. There Scott Campbell will clean, repair, and store them until reconstruction begins in March 2022. Campbell will renovate two remaining 80-foot-long beams at the Cherry Hill site.