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Past, present, & future

	In December, 2004, Bloomington Restorations took possession of the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead, one part of the legacy Daisy (Hinkle) Garton left her beloved community.
		Much of that legacy is embedded in the life of the community, in the minds of Daisy’s music students, and in the many projects that Daisy and her husband, Joseph Garton, so generously supported during their lives.  The Hinkle-Garton Farmstead stands as a very visible part of what Daisy has left us—and Bloomington Restorations is committed to honoring and continuing Daisy’s work through making the farmstead a center for educational resources and community activities.
Daisy and her brother, John (then known as “Buster”), in the Hinkle farmyard around 1916.

			The main house, built in 1892 in the Queen Anne style, and now housing BRI's offices and the beginnings of the Hinkle-Garton Farmstead museum and learning center.
In the time since December 2004, Bloomington Restorations staff and volunteers first concentrated on stabilizing the structures on the property, cleaning up debris, and performing remedial maintenance and repairs, all first steps in restoring and preserving the Hinkle-Garton property.  The upstairs of the main house has been repaired and brought up to code, and now BRI has its offices on the premises.
		The second house, currently rented out.
Current activities are focused in three spheres: the buildings, the landscape, and the farmstead learning center which Daisy Garton specified in her will.  A preservation plan for the property is being developed, thanks in part to a $2,000 grant from Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, and a National Register of Historic Places nomination is being prepared, supported by a $2,500 award from the Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission.  The inventory of the house and outbuilding contents, begun in early 2005, is continuing, with the assistance of volunteers and Indiana University students.
Plans for the Hinkle-Garton farmstead focus on making the property an educational resource for the local community and the region, using workshops, activities, displays, tours, and events that highlight the sorts of traditional practices that took place on family farms.  The property will also serve as a location for learning practical techniques on related topics such as small scale farming and preservation of houses, farm structures, and landscapes.  Our approach is cooperative, working with other local organizations and experts, seeking to provide a venue for learning that fills unmet needs in the community.
		The barn, the farmstead building most visible to casual passers-by.
Much of the work is carried out by volunteers— if you are interested in helping or just learning more about the work, please contact us!  Call Danielle at 336-0909 or email her at programs@bloomingtonrestorations.org
Learn more: The story of the family and the farm
Support the Farmstead: T-Shirts and Tote bags
NEW!  Daisy Garton Genealogy - prepared by one of our volunteers