Having established a reputation as someone always on the lookout for wood to repurpose, he [Ron Hunt] learns of potential treasure troves of old wood through word-of-mouth, keeping an open eye and online. He bought a barn about to be torn down in Hershey, Pa., on eBay.

“I’m trying to salvage and repurpose old wood and keep it alive,” he said. “It’s part of our history. The old barns are disappearing every day. It’s something future generations are never going to see if we don’t preserve it. It’s our ancestor’s history. It’s our country’s history, and it’s important to preserve.

“Any time I’m out in the country and see an old house falling down, I ask if I can take something (and often they say yes),” he said. “The older and rougher, the more character it has, and that’s what people want.”

via American Treasures highlights local artisans, reclaimed pieces – The Herald Dispatch.