The Hill Barn

Saline County area couples can celebrate their nuptials in an iconic, historical venue with a rustic charm upgraded with modern conveniences.

 The Hill Barn Event Center is the lone building remaining from the Ralph Hill dairy farm. Hill built the barn by hand in 1949 and it was a cornerstone of the farmstead in the 1950s and 60s. It sits on seven beautiful acres adorned with pecan trees and a small creek.

 The Bryant School District purchased the land as they set out to build Hill Farm Elementary. The farmhouse was demolished to make way for the school building, but the old barn remained. The barn sat empty for a few years while Saline County pondered its fate. Thankfully, after much interest and love from the community, it is taking on new life all while keeping the “history” intact. Enter Bryant native Terry Harper and his wife Melissa.

 Harper, a Bryant High School graduate, started teaching in the district in 1998 and was the Bryant High School baseball coach for 12 years. Now the Facilities Director for the district, Harper organized a Save the Barn group to preserve the structure.

 “It was one of coolest places in Bryant, and I didn’t want to see it torn down,” Harper said. “We need to keep history like that. Being able to keep it and use it is cool. It is very unique.”

 They eventually transformed the structure into a modern event center while keeping most of the original internal features intact. The event center opened in 2017 at 100 Hill Road and includes the seven acres surrounding the event space.

 The barn renovation took Harper and a young assistant a little less than a year to complete. Harper, who built his own house, was careful to not modernize the building at the expense of keeping the structure as original as possible. 

 With that goal in mind, he insulated the building from the outside to keep the original wood interior wall as it was. The barn was built with some interesting materials ranging from telegraph poles and railroad ties that originated from the late 1800s along with wood paneling of the day. The original hardwood flooring remains.

 “The inside was kept as original as possible,” Harper said. “We took out part of it to add restrooms, but it pretty much looks like it did in the beginning. Insulating from the outside to keep the inside skeleton intact really keeps it authentic. That is what we were going for from the beginning.”

 It didn’t take long for the barn to become a popular event venue for not only weddings but also business meetings, family and class reunions, anniversaries, and birthday parties.

“I think the most unique event we’ve had there was a private prom for my daughter during COVID,” Harper said. “That was really cool and gave those kids a fun night for her and her friends. You can hold so many different kinds of events there.”

 It is ideal for weddings not only because of its charm, but also its space. With its 3,800 square feet of climate-controlled floor space coupled with a 3,200 square-foot covered-loft area, couples can use the barn all weekend.

 The space is so big, Harper said, that on wedding day one half of the building can be used for the actual ceremony, and then guests can move to the covered, open-air pavilion area for the reception. Approximately 250 guests can be situated in each part of the barn. There are also two dressing rooms for the bride and groom.

 “I think that is what makes [the barn] attractive for weddings because you can have the ceremony and reception all in one space,” Harper said.

 Harper said the facility is rented typically 25 to 30 weekends per year and weddings are most popular in the spring and fall. The fee for the weekend is $2,500 and Friday night is free depending upon availability. The facility features hourly rates during the week.

 Harper, who also operates a charity that feeds disadvantaged Saline County school children, has an office manager who helps with booking. The group does a little advertising and provides tables and chairs, but the hard work was renovating the structure, he said. The operation moves smoothly without a great deal of his attention, and the rave reviews from attendees keep it booked.

 But always the go-getter, Harper would like to build a deck on the structure with an eye to hosting a music festival in the future.

  “I will never get rid of the barn,” he said. “It is so unique and is always going to be open for people to enjoy.” One thing is for sure: Harper will make sure the barn is preserved and remains a place Saline County couples and other event goers can enjoy for years to come.

For more information, go to the Hill Barn Facebook page or call 501-943-5935.