By Brynn Streppa, Class of 2017
The place that once housed sheep and cows will now be home to student’s academic downtime.
The vacant red barn across from Hendrix known as The Sheep Barn has transformed into a student activity center. Construction began in early May 2016 and the new center opened its doors to students Feb. 18.
Students were impressed with the new space and what it will mean to them.
“The Barnes Center is a magnificent blend of old traditions with modern twists,” said Joey Wilson, Clemson’s undergraduate student body president. “The space contains beautiful elements of the old barn that are juxtaposed with new technologies that will enable students to socialize and have fun in completely new and exciting ways on campus.”
Built in 1915, the Sheep Barn was originally used to house sheep, cows, and other animals through the agricultural program at Clemson. Students would care for the animals at the barn as part of their curriculum. The barn’s architecture included many great modernisms of that time. In fact, the barn was featured in a book called The James Way, published in 1914. The book highlighted great innovations in effective barn construction. The sheep barn was featured because it offered operative windows for fresh air and sunlight, air circulation, and a trolley clean-up system. Because of the great architecture and significance of the barn, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Community members did not want to see this historical place remain vacant, unused, and deteriorating. So officials decided to renovate the space and thanks to a donation from the Barnes family, which boast four generations of Clemson alumni, the space was marked for renovation. The Barnes Family donation was part of the university’s Will to Lead campaign, which concluded last year.
Designed to be a student activity center, this area includes six televisions, a portable stage for potential karaoke nights or music group performances, comfortable seating and even a food service station offering coffee, soda, snacks and light meals. The lighting makes for a comfortable and relaxing setting, designed for students to relax, take study breaks and to enjoy time with their friends.
At this time, the activity center will only be open in the evenings. Everyone seems to agree that the Barnes Center is a great place to recommend to students who need a break from their academics.
“I believe that the Barnes Center will become a staple for all students, especially those on campus, giving them much more than just a new place to hang out,” said Wilson. “I wish that this space existed when I was a freshman. It definitely goes hand in hand with Clemson’s vision and mission moving forward to educate students and help them grow intellectually and socially.”
