LEEDS — The Leeds Historical Society will hold a tour of historic Leeds barns on Saturday, Sept. 27. People will gather at Springbrook Golf Club for this fall fundraiser which will start with a presentation by Don Perkins, “The Barn Guy.”

Formerly a carpenter and woodworker with a longtime interest in timber framing, Perkins now puts his knowledge to the printed page, revealing the history and craft of barns.

He has been a freelance writer since 2005, and his series on local barns for the Gray-New Gloucester weekly and the Advertiser Democrat in Norway led him to write “The Barns of Maine: Our History, Our Story.” Signed copies will be available the day of the tour for $20.

Some people may wonder “why a barn tour?” and during his presentation, Perkins will answer this and other questions, explaining the significance of barns and why he’s moved to learn more about them before they are all lost to heavy snows, fire and development.

Following the presentation, the group will tour the Springbrook barn, then board a bus, and Perkins will lead the group on a tour of three more Leeds barns, ranging from an early English style barn, to a barn still in use on a small farm and an impressive Victorian barn built by an affluent Leeds farmer.

The tour will start at 9 a.m. It will return to Springbrook at approximately 3 p.m. The bus will stop for lunch at the Leeds Community Church mid-way through the tour.

Tickets are $15 and include lunch and transportation. There are only 50 tickets available. For more information about the tour and to buy tickets, call Laura Juraska at 524-2324 or Pam Bell at 933-4121.

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