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'She's in bad shape' 130-year-old barn McCordsville barn damaged during storms

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Posted at 11:39 AM, Feb 28, 2023
and last updated 2023-02-28 16:02:18-05

McCordsville — The future is unclear for a community landmark in Hancock County.

An iconic red barn in McCordsville was badly damaged in Monday's severe weather.

“We got under some equipment, and it sounded like a war going on,” Gary Kingen said as he recalled the storm that came through. "30 seconds and it was gone."

Broken windows, downed trees and missing shingles are just a small part of the damage along 600 N in McCordsville .

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A barn built in 1903 was damaged in McCordsville during Monday's severe weather.

“We look out the window at the round barn, and all the doors are sticking straight out, and the shingles were going straight up,” Kingen said.

Taking the brunt of the damage, this iconic red barn stood tall in Hancock County. A historic piece of the Kingen family name.

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The Kingen family is working to clean up after a storm damaged their property in McCordsville during Monday's severe weather.

“When my great grandpa came in 1903, the barn was brand new. I was born and raised here,” Kingen said.

Doorbell video from a neighbor miles away showed the storm passing over their farm.

“I just can't imagine. Grain bins weren't hurt, the house isn't in too bad a shape, but the round barn is 130 years old,” Kingen said.

The reality is a hard pill for Kingen to swallow.

“It's just really tough to look at it right now. She’s in bad shape,” Kingen said.

The barn is historic to the family, but it's also historic to people like our Kelsey Anderson who’s from Hancock County and has driven past it hundreds of times, even touring the old barn as a kid.

The future of the barn unknown at this time.

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The foundation shifted on a barn built in 1903 was damaged in McCordsville during Monday's severe weather.

“I've got to get some engineers out here to see what they can do. The foundation has rattled out, so it doesn't look good there,” Kingen said.

The National Weather Service hasn’t determined if the storm was a tornado or not. We will update this story when we learn more.