Henry Barn

Data source credit: Cobi Christiansen, Center for Marine and Wetland Studies, Coastal Carolina University

Locals may remember the 8,000 square foot, two-story wooden barn structure located next to Conway High School as the Road Runner Antiques Store, but the building's history goes much further back. The structure was initially built by J. T. Henry in the 1960s as an auction house with a livestock market behind the building. John T. "Teddy" Henry II recounted helping his dad build the barn when he was in the 10th grade. At that time, an old schoolhouse in the Homewood section of Conway was being torn down, and the Henrys used the lumber and beams to construct the auction house. The structure remained with the Henry family until the property was sold to developers in 2024.

The sturdiest elements of the Henry Barn consisted of local railroad ties and hand-hewn beams, some of which were formerly used in the Homewood schoolhouse. After the school was dismantled, its beams were used as girders to support the first-floor ceiling joists and transfer the weight to hand-hewn 10-inch by 10-foot beams, as seen in the image above. The kerf marks on the beams illustrate the skill and effort involved in creating these beams from local old-growth Heart Pine.

While some of this lumber was reclaimed, other elements were locally harvested and milled for the barn. The (now endangered) Longleaf Pine, traditional stick-frame construction, and extensive use of Cypress in the Henry Barn demonstrate the wealth of local resources and building craft historically used in Conway.

Spanning 30 feet from wall to roof peak, Longleaf Pine rafters were "birdsmouth" precision cut and joined to make the expanse of the roof. Trusses and purlins were then constructed to help distribute the weight.

Nearly 4,000 square feet of Longleaf Pine tongue-and-groove flooring covered the second floor of the structure. Careful removal means this beautiful unfinished raw material can be repurposed instead of landfilled. Purchased as it was being removed, this flooring has now been reused in multiple home renovation projects.

Bald Cypress is commonly found in the region and can grow to be hundreds of years old, with specimens found to be over two thousand years old. Adapted to moist, humid conditions, Cypress was often harvested and milled for exterior siding, due to its incredible resistance to decay. The species can, however, be affected by the fungus Lauriliella taxodii, which slowly causes a pocket rot in the heartwood commonly identified as "Pecky Cypress." As a tree is milled, exposing the heartwood, Pecky Cypress is sometimes discovered inside, a rare find and highly prized for its decorative look. In the Henry Barn, dozens of highly valuable and durable Pecky Cypress panels were used as interior cladding. These 1" thick, 12" wide, 8' long panels were recovered in pristine condition and saved from demolition and landfilling. The efficient use of both exterior Cypress and interior Pecky Cypress indicates that a handful of nearby trees were felled and milled specifically for the construction of the barn.

The Henry family also repurposed architectural pieces from the Patricia Inn, a Myrtle Beach oceanfront inn built in the late 1940s. Before the hotel was demolished, the tall sectioned windows were removed and installed at the entrance of the Henry Barn. The windows that had once overlooked the Atlantic were given a second life in Conway, and now continue to their next destination.

A Community Volunteer Effort

This grassroots, community-driven effort was made possible by 840 volunteer hours. From Coastal Carolina University students to retired builders to local history enthusiasts, members of the community resisted the convenience of modern demolition, protecting their resources and history from the landfill. We could not have done it without you, thank you all!