ARCADIA – Volunteers gathered at the Arcadia Round Barn on Nov. 27 to plant 750 daffodil bulbs awarded by the Oklahoma City Community Foundation to the Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society.
Ann Young, vice president of the historical society board, applied for the grant and spearheaded the planting of the bulbs. Board members and other Round Barn volunteers planted the flowers on the slope in front of the barn, where they will provide an explosion of spring color for travelers along Historic Route 66.
“The nonprofit Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society depends on donations for beautification projects at the Round Barn, and we are so appreciative of this generous gift from the Oklahoma City Community Foundation,” said Young, whose husband, Hank, and son, Tom, helped the planting crew get the bulbs in the ground within a couple of hours.
As part of the Rebloom Oklahoma initiative, the Oklahoma City Community Foundation provided 65,000 free bulbs to neighborhood associations and volunteer organizations for planting in highly-visible public spaces in Oklahoma County. Neighborhood medians and entryways, schools, libraries, community parks and greenbelts will be beautified with flowers expected to bloom in the spring of 2021.
The Arcadia Historical and Preservation Society owns and operates the Arcadia Round Barn, which was built in 1898 and became a museum in 1992 after it was lovingly restored by a group of volunteer carpenters. The downstairs museum is currently closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the grounds and loft remain open daily.
The barn is located six miles east of Interstate 35 on Historic Route 66. The board of directors appreciates tax-deductible financial donations, which can be made on the Arcadia Round Barn website or by mailing to P.O. Box 134, Arcadia, OK 73007.
