Messer Barn rebuilt in Greenbrier | Friends of the Smokies

by Jim Matheny

In the Greenbrier area of the Smokies along Porters Creek Trail, the 156-year-old John Messer Barn is one of the few remaining examples of architecture and life in a once thriving community before this land became a national park.

*May 2024 photo of the John Messer Barn, one year after its roof collapsed during severe storms..*

Great Smoky Mountains National Park was at risk of losing the double-cantilever barn after severe weather damaged the aging structure. In 2023, a powerful windstorm caused the roof to collapse. Park crews preserved any materials they could from the ravaged barn. The park ultimately deemed the only way to preserve the landmark was to rebuild it entirely.

Thanks to your support, Friends of the Smokies was able to provide more than $500,000 toward rebuilding John Messer Barn. Crews completed the project and held a ceremonial ribbon-cutting September 28, 2026.

*Ribbon cutting for the rebuilt John Messer Barn, Sept. 28, 2026..*

“We want to be able to preserve that for future generations,” said Aspen Williams, a civil engineer with Great Smoky Mountains National Park. “We are preserving the style of architecture and the style of construction methods. The goal is for the look and feel of the structure to be the same as it was.”

The park chose AJCE Corporation as the head contractor for the project, with much of the work subcontracted to the local Todd Almas Construction group. From each beam and wooden stud to the restored loft, crews are using thoughtful methods and materials to convey the barn’s historic character.

*John Messer Barn photograph in May 1935 by Edouard Exline.*

“We’re proud that funds raised have helped rebuild Messer Barn. The barn is a powerful reminder of the people who once called these mountains home,” said Dana Soehn, CEO and President of Friends of the Smokies. “Ensuring visitors can visit iconic places such as the John Messer Barn means we can share the park’s cultural heritage for generations.”

While this was not technically one of the Forever Places projects by the historic preservation staff funded by a Friends of the Smokies endowment, the Forever Places crew deserves credit for assisting with the project. They worked hard to preserve any salvageable materials and carried out the arduous removal of the original barn. They were also of great assistance providing architectural details for contractors to accurately rebuild the barn.

Below are a series of photographs showing the barn after storm damage and during its reconstruction. The dates are noted in the bottom-right of each image.

*May 2, 2024, photo of the Messer Barn a year after its roof collapsed in a windstorm.*

*Crews begin rebuilding the Messer Barn from the ground up in April 2026.*

*Roof framing makes considerable progress in May 2026*.

*June 2, 2026, photo of the Messer Barn with additional sheathing on the roof.*

*June 15, 2026, photo of Messer Barn construction progress..*

As always, thank you for being a Friend of the Smokies! There are many ways you can support our mission.

One-time gifts or scheduled giving : Make a single donation. Every gift helps. You can also support our projects year-round by scheduling monthly donations (or any interval you prefer).
License plates: Your specialty license plates in Tennessee and North Carolina drive major support for the national park.
Legacy giving : Make protecting the park part of your legacy by including Friends of the Smokies in your estate plans.
Business partnerships: Make an organizational impact by supporting programs, sponsoring events, and developing marketing opportunities that help the park.
Volunteer : Help with events, become an ambassador, assist with hikes, and more!