b'THE EVOLUTION OF THE BARNAT THE ASH MILL ROAD PROPERTYThe Ash Mill Road Property is unique because it visually represents shifts in architectural history over the years, and its previous residents further connect us to the history of the area as a whole. Born in 1708 and noted as the first person living in Buckingham Township, Mathew Beans was the original owner of the land.In 1787, the tract of 59 acres and 26 square perches was sold to Anthony Rich (1787-1843),who became a significant landowner in the area. After his death, his son, Preston J. (1818-1909) owned the property and would become the longest owner before selling it to Benjamin S. Rich.The barn consists of the original core and additions on two elevations. With the exceptionof a cinder block extension off of the barnyard L wing, all sections are of stone construction. One other obvious change to the historic appearance was the removal of the bank. The stablelevel of the barn was converted from a combination of horse and cow stables into a 20th century dairying operation. The date of 1934 is inscribed in the cement of the center aisle of the barn and is probably an accurate representation of when this shift in barn design occurred in the region. A later phase in the modification of the barn came with the conversion of the open barnyard into a large enclosed area with horse stalls. Despite these alterations, the barn remains a good example of the evolution of barns in the region. 5'