We offer a unique collection of reclaimed barn wood, sourced from buildings around Galena, IL. Each piece boasts its own character, texture, and a rich backstory now being revitalized. Dive into the origins of these reclaimed materials and discover their compelling histories.
Rodden Barn Galena, IL
The Rodden barn was constructed by the Rodden family in Galena, IL. This barn was built sometime around the mid 1800’s. William Rodden came to the Galena area around 1834 with his wife and their 8 children. He listed himself as Farmer on the 1850 Census.
This barn was a Gothic-Arch style barn built with stick frame construction rather than a timber frame. The arch style allowed for more space inside the barn for storage . This barn was smaller than others we have salvaged, but we were able to save a lot of great material from this one!
Big Red Barn Galena, IL
The “Big Red Barn”, our name for the larger barn on the Irish Hollow Property, was built from wood harvested directly from the surrounding woods in Galena, IL. Almost all of the barn was constructed of oak.
The farm was owned and run by one family, the Virtue family, until 1974.
The Virtue Family came to America from Ireland in the 1850s. Shortly after, they settled in Jo Davies county near Galena Illinois. Our understanding is that the family raised cattle and that the barn was strategically placed so that spring water would flow naturally into it, sparing them carrying water every day. During the early 1900’s the Virtue family Raised beef cattle and used the Big Red Barn as storage for the hay they were producing.
Ralph and Roger Virtue, (grandsons of the original owner) ran the farm until selling it in 1974 to Adlai E. Stevenson III, former U.S. Senator for Illinois, and his family. There they cared for and rode horses on the property.
The Big Red Barn yielded almost 20,000 board feet of oak beams and lumber, 2,500 board feet of pine and almost 3,000 square feet of tin roofing.
All American Reclaim takes pride and care in salvaging material from this iconic part of the American story. This barn wood, in the hands of our experienced carpenters and creative customers, will become family dining tables, heirloom furniture, accent walls, picture frames and a thousand other things. All while continuing the history of the wood and keeping its memories alive.
Visit us to see our incredible selection of reclaimed materials!