Peder and Marit Baver arrived in the United States, from Surendal, Norway, as employees of the Classens and Glarum Timber Company of Frankfort, Michigan in 1887. They worked in a logging camp located on the Betsie River and what is now River Road.

In 1889, the land that is now the Baver farm had been logged over and was considered pretty much worthless by the timber company. The Bavers received it in lieu of monetary payment from the company. Stumps were pulled and the first crop planted was potatoes.

A log structure was built on the two-track that is the modern day driveway. It housed the family on one end and the animals on the other. The first permanent building was the barn, built in 1890. It was designed by Mr. Ingebright, the area's premier Norwegian barn builder and is the oldest surviving structure on the farm. See it in the photo below with the new siding and red paint which it received for its 110th birthday.

The "Tool Shed" and main barn.

Because flat land was at a premium in Norway, the barn here was built into the side of a hill to conserve the most usable land. The first level of the building is underground and housed the well and the yearling cattle. Today, it is closed off for safety and health reasons, but could be used again with some clean-up.

The second level is on the side of the hill. It is entered from doors on the north and west, and occupies the entire width, but only about one quarter the total length of the structure. It is where the dairy cows and their new calves were quartered. Take note of the heavy beams and planks that were used in construction throughout the building. Adz marks may still be seen where beams were squared by hand. A unique feature of this barn is first noticed here. The foundation is made up of logs, not laid end to end, but piled like cordwood and held in place by cement made on the premises. Not only was this type of construction sturdy, but it offered excellent insulation in summer and winter. Outside on either side of the north entrance to this level, you will see two manure containment structures. The one on the east was for dry manure, pitched through the doorway at that end and the other for wet manure, which flowed out a pipe along the floor. This material was then spread on the fields for fertilizer. The farmer could also enter through a door on the west side. Inside, there is a ramp leading to the first level where calves were kept.

The third (main) level of the barn, takes up the entire width and about three quarters of the length of the building. It sits atop the hill and extends over the slope and second level. There are three doors, but only the east and south doors were used for entrance and egress.

In the center of the barn is an aisle with large sliding doors on the east and west. Animals and machinery could come and go from the east door. The aisle was used to load and unload hay and other materials. At the west end of the aisle, just inside of the west door, was a steam engine whose purpose was to operate the pump for the well on the lowest level.

On the southern side of the barn (front) was the stable for the farm horses and the tack and farm implements that they pulled. Their manure containment area is now a flower garden outside the east wall of the barn.

Just to the west of the stable is an enclosed corner. Originally, this was an indoor silo. As mentioned, Norwegians were very conscious of the best utilization and economic use of their land and incorporating the silo into the barn is a good example of those ideas.

On either side of the main aisle and one level up, are the hay lofts. Hay could be stacked very high either loose or in bales. Through special doors in the floor hay could be dropped through to the animals below. The loft on the north was hay for the cows and the one on the south was hay for the horses. The remains of a grain bin can be seen at the west end of the south loft. These lofts are the fourth level in the barn.

The fifth level was actually the top of the structure where the pulleys and slings were located to lift, lower, and move hay, machinery and other items on the floor below.

On the east side of the barn, a foundation for a silo, added much later, may still be seen.

At the turn of the present century, Pauline Baver, granddaughter of Peder and Merit, lifelong and current resident of the farm, undertook work to restore and preserve the structure. Three sides were redone with cedar shakes and the roof was re-shingled, as well. Door and window frames were rebuilt as needed, and some foundation upgrades were made to strengthen the building.

The work was very costly, but was lovingly done by Alan and Cheryl Kobernik, local builders, cherry growers, and friends of the family. The north face was not re-done. It is the original material! Alan Kobernik stated that, "because it is, more or less, out of the worst of the sun and wind, it will last another fifty years!"

There are other structures on the farm, past and present, that also have interesting histories. Should you visit Pauline, or Baver Herbs — which occupies part of the grounds, be sure to ask about them. Eventually, their histories will be posted on this site.

We would like to thank you for allowing us to share some of our family history with you. Please feel free to visit us when you are in the area.