Potato Creek State Park staple, Naragon Barn, demolished Monday

ST. JOSEPH COUNTY, Ind. -- The Naragon Barn at Potato Creek State Park, built in 1908, was reduced to rubble Monday morning.

The demolition helps make way for the new $100 million Potato Creek Inn, already under construction.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources sent ABC57 the following statement:

"For safety purposes, the barn was demolished [Monday] morning. It had long been structurally unsound and unsafe for occupancy, and it had not been used for many years due to its hazardous condition. The DNR Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology determined that the barn was not eligible for federal or state historic preservation lists. The Indiana DNR is dedicated to preserving and telling the deep history of our land and its people, which includes maintaining the exhibit in the nature center on the farm that was once on the site of Potato Creek State Park. DNR will also maintain materials from the barn to continue to share our history."

However, news of the demolition shocked the volunteer group, "The Friends of Potato Creek State Park," who fought hard to preserve the 117-year-old structure.

"Here we are. They went ahead and did what they wanted to do, and the barn is gone," said Linda Matzat, vice president of The Friends of Potato Creek. "They did not talk to us to give us the opportunity to come up with a plan to restore it if that was what was necessary, or to move it, if that was what was required."

The group held a rally outside the red barn earlier this month.

"It was a staple of the park. Obviously, here long before the park was ever thought of," said concerned community member, Tom McCormick. "Seeing the post that the barn was torn down was disheartening. A lack of respect."

The Naragon family told ABC57 they were promised all or part of the barn would be preserved, but that never happened. Annette Martin is a granddaughter of the Naragons and is disappointed to see the family reunion venue torn down.

"We cousins played a lot in the barn and all around the farm," Martin said. "We could have raised the funds to renovate it, or have moved it. We could have salvaged it for other projects. It's just very unfortunate they felt the need to demolish it."