Large crowd enjoys tours, Music on the Porch

    The public’s one chance all year to see the inside of barbed wire baron Joseph F. Glidden's historic DeKalb barn was held Sunday, May 18, during the annual “Open House, Open Barn.”
    The event also featured “Mike King and Friends,” playing traditional Celtic music. Their performance marked the first in a season-long “Music on the Porch” series at the Joseph F. Glidden Homestead & Historical Center. The group entertained with jigs, reels and ballads from Ireland and Scotland. Featured performers wereMike King on accordion, Bill Fritsch on bodhran (traditional Irish drum), Jerry Burke on guitar, Jennifer Burke on flute, and Tania Nezrick on fiddle.
     “Mike King and Friends” embody the spirit of folk music, which originated in pubs and front porches where the sharing of music is part of the social experience.  Group members are all dedicated amateur musicians for whom music is a large part of their 'joie de vie.'
     The barn at 921 W. Lincoln Hwy., is where Glidden invented and first manufactured his 1874 patented "The Winner," one of the most widely-used types of barbed wire. Historic preservationist Roger Keys has called the barn one of the most historically-significant barns in America. Keys was on hand May 18, to share information about the barn and restoration done thus far.
     More than 100 people visited the Homestead May 18, many for the first time. The Homestead was the first site in DeKalb named to the National Register of Historic Places.
  “Open House, Open Barn” marked the opening of the site for the season. The Homestead is regularly open the first and third Sunday of each month, May through November. Hours are noon-4 p.m.
    As part of the tours of the Glidden home, visitors have the chance to view a DVD presentation about Glidden, in addition to the video “Barbed Wire Barons.” 
   Upstairs, “Jessie’s Room” has been decorated with period items honoring the lives of the Glidden women who have lived at the Homestead. Jessie Glidden was born at the Homestead and lived there until moving into a retirement center shortly before her death at age 92 on Dec. 14, 2004. She was instrumental in forming the Glidden Homestead board that is working to preserve and restore the historic site.
      “The Glidden Homestead is one of DeKalb’s hidden gems and an important part of local history,” said Kathy Vance Siebrasse, board president.
     “Glidden’s invention is a true American story. His innovation not only affected DeKalb County, but it had far-reaching impact on the development of the American West and ultimately, the world,” said Vance Siebrasse.
      “We have a unique opportunity to develop the property as a center for education and innovation that secures its place in history and also enriches our area as a cultural destination point,” she said.
         Everyone is welcome to visit the Homestead this season. Admission is $2 for adults and $1 for children. Memberships in the organization help fund preservation efforts. For more information, call (815) 756-7904.

Mike King & Friends entertained on the porch of the historic Glidden Homestead
as part of Open House, Open Barn on Sunday, May 18.