by Dave Crumb, Parma Hilton Historian
Many residents are pleased to see a new roof recently placed on Parma’s historic – and only – cobblestone barn at 293 Parma Center Road. The property came up for sale in April 2021 and quickly sold by May. The once attractive property had fallen into a dismal state of repair due to the illness of the previous owner. The roof of the 190-year-old barn collapsed about three years ago from a heavy snowfall. Nothing appeared to be in the works to save it, and historians and other Parma residents feared it might be a candidate for demolition.
The new owner, Mitchell Zimmer, a young contractor, wasted no time putting a new metal roof on the building. One weekend he and a crew cleaned out the contents and debris, and the following weekend another team arrived to replace the rafters, roofing, and fascia board. A new cement floor was later added so that the barn could be used as a workshop as Zimmer restores the old farmhouse just to the west of the barn. When the barn was built in the 1830s, it was used as an apple barn, according to early historical accounts. It is also noted to be the only cobblestone barn west of the Genesee River.
Zimmer plans to update the old farmhouse and grounds to their former state and modernize the home to make it functional for contemporary living. Thanks, Mitchell and crew, for saving an important Parma landmark, and welcome to the community.
