The Fascinating History of How a Barn From Ohio Became The Barn-B-Que Smokehouse at the Lake of the Ozarks!
The Barn-B-Que Smokehouse on Horseshoe Bend Parkway in Lake Ozark was originally "born & raised" in Oak Park, Ohio. (Yes, you read that right. Cool, huh? So keep reading!) Exactly how does a farm building cross state lines to become the best BBQ restaurant & bar at the Lake of the Ozarks? Well, that's a fascinating story...
Oak Harbor Origins
The original barn that is now the home of the best smoked BBQ at the Lake of the Ozarks was built in Oak Harbor, Ohio, during the early 1850s. Oak Harbor got its name due to the importance of a nearby Portage River and the large stands of virgin White Oak abundant in the area.
By 1850, Oak Harbor had become a community of 38 dwellings with 187 people. The Barn-B-Que's owner, Bill Borders, stated, "When I look at the barn I like to think of that community at that point in time, wondering how many of those people contributed to building and erecting the barn."
Between then and now most of the barn's history is unknown. It was last used as a self-storage building, having been partitioned into 4 separate compartments.
A Building With Good "Bones"
This historic barn's frame is made from White Oak and measures 40'x60'. The size of the posts and beams is amazing when you consider that they were fashioned by hand from single trees.
There are 4 rafter plates, each measuring 8"x8" and 60-feet long, 5 tie beams measuring 12"x12" and 40-feet long, 20 posts measuring 21"x21" and 13-feet long. All of these were cut from individual trees and crafted by hand!
Deconstructing the Barn
The work of carefully taking down the barn began in October 2018. Ohio Barn Salvage started the deconstruction process while, back here in Missouri, the new home of the barn was getting prepped and concrete was being poured.
Once the barn was deconstructed, it was loaded onto a semi to begin the journey to its new hometown. One fun fact that makes this building extra special is that all of the original wood was usable!
Becoming The Barn-B-Que
On January 15th, 2019, after some weather delays, the assembly of the Ohio barn at the Lake of the Ozarks began. By the first week of February, this future restaurant was in the dry and had really taken shape. Finally, after a lot of hard work and attention to detail, on May 23, 2019, the Barn-B-Que proudly opened its doors for business!
We've Come a Long Way, Baby!
Wow, just imagine if those walls could talk! We are proud to have been able to preserve this amazing antique barn, transport it from over 650 miles away, and finally turn it into a family-friendly restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks for everyone to gather and enjoy a delicious meal together.
Originally The Barn-B-Que served lunch and dinner beginning at 11:00 daily. (Which, FYI, we still do!) Over time we've made some incredible additions to what we have to offer. This includes the ability to order BBQ to-go online through our website.
Occasionally we host incredible live music for our diners to enjoy. Also, we now serve the best breakfast at the Lake of the Ozarks every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 8:00 am-11:00 am. That breakfast menu includes plenty of classic dishes featuring our mouthwatering smoked meats plus quite a few signature dishes that you'll only find at The Barn!
Come on by soon to take a look at the fascinating transformation of an old barn into an impressive restaurant. Then, stick around for that incredible BBQ! Together we'll give this barn's walls all-new stories to tell, should they ever decide to start talking!
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