| The Bay Path Barn | |
| by Tom and Mary Rinker |
|
Located in the beautiful countryside of Boylston, Massachusetts, in the central part of
the state, the Bay Path Barn square dance hall and the 17 room house beside it have an
entertaining history. The house is historically known as the "Lieutenant Timothy
Whitney House" - yes, a relative of the inventor Eli Whitney.
Built about 1742, the house had several owners in its early years. In 1847, the house and surrounding acres became a poor farm: a town-operated institution for indigent people. It served as the Almshouse for 73 years, during which time several repairs and additions were made to the house. It was during these constructions that bones were found under a large granite doorstep which weighed in excess of 1,500 pounds. The bones were sent to Harvard Medical School for evaluation. Tests found the bones to be those of a female human being, 20-25 years of age, who had died about 80 years earlier, about 1800. It seems that the victim was a daughter-in-law of Timothy Whitney, who had disappeared from the homestead. Her absence had been explained away by the story that she had left her husband and gone to live in New Hampshire with her family. Rumor is that her ghost has been seen walking around the house. In 1921, the property again changed hands and became a dairy farm. As a result of a fire that destroyed the barn, a new barn was built in 1932. This barn, called the Bay Path Barn, still stands today. It is so named because it was located along the pathway leading to the Boston Bay. |
Square dancing had become quite popular in the area when
Chet and Barbara Smith, a caller/cuer team who owned the property, decided to go into
square dancing full time. They sold their last cow on December 1, 1954, and began the
process of converting the huge dairy barn into a square and round dance hall. The
Barn underwent a complete renovation. The floor became a hardwood floor, the
ceiling was lifted, the hayloft was centered, plumbing and heating were redone, walls
were painted, and so on. However, the Barn retains a rustic flavor and is a reminder of
the dairy farm days. For example, the windows opening at a slant remind us that this
arrangement prevented a draft on the cows as they were milked. Also, the present
light fixtures are made from some of the original milk pails.
June 3, 1955, was the date of the first dance held at Bay Path Barn. The Barn was an immediate success as a dance hall, boasting several beginners classes of twenty-five squares. Over the years, the Barn has hosted most of the top traveling guest callers from around the world. The current owner Tom Rinker called here for the first time in 1967, while he and his wife Mary still lived in Nebraska. Tom, who has called in thirty-five states, settled in New England in 1970 to build a solid home program. In 1981 Tom and Mary bought Bay Path Barn and moved into the house with their eight children. Today, the Barn with its two halls is in operation seven days a week. The Barn features workshops and square dances from beginners through C-2, Country Western dancing, Country Western line dancing, and a full round dance program. If you are traveling to New England, you may want to include a visit to the Barn in your plans. |