Discover Bath Barns: McLean barn

by Laura Bednar

Bath Township’s Heritage Corridors of Bath Committee manages one of 27 designated scenic byways in Ohio. The Heritage Corridors of Bath byway, established in 2001, covers 39 miles of road within the township and is designed to tell the story of Ohio’s Western Reserve from the Bath Township perspective: Preserve the rural heritage and maintain the bucolic landscapes for all to enjoy.

When traveling the byway, more than 30 barns are visible, many more than 100 years old and several listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The history and heritage of these barns, like many in Ohio, are fading from memory.

Bath Township trustees decided to address this problem and in 2023 created a committee, Discover Bath Barns, as a means to preserve and enhance the heritage represented by these barns. This group, part of the larger Heritage Corridors of Bath Committee, has partnered with the Bath Country Journal to publish a series of articles about some of the barns along the byway.

The barn at 1997 N. Cleveland-Massillon Road is more than a barn; it was originally the township’s first line of defense against fires.

Phil McLean, retired Richfield fire chief and honorary Bath firefighter, said the barn has been in his family for over 90 years. His grandparents, Augusta and Anthony Ritch, bought the home and barn in 1930. Ritch was a founding member of the Bath volunteer fire department; the first fire truck was built and stored in his barn. The structure was also the township’s first fire station from 1945-1953.

McLean said the exact date the barn was constructed is unknown, but it existed when his grandparents bought the house. The house was built in 1830 but didn’t show up on county tax records in its current location on N. Cleveland-Massillon Road until 1850.

The carriage barn is divided into two areas with a wall in between. It has a brick floor and a wooden frame, all of which are original. McLean has maintained the barn, adding new doors and upgrading the electrical system. He also added a fire mark, a metal plaque with an emblem, representing that the barn owners are insured.

Inside the barn are the original coat hooks for the firemen’s jackets and hooks used to hang hoses. McLean is unsure of the barn’s history prior to the 1930s, but there are built-in ladders inside, a sliding door between the two sections and a door for hay bailing at the front of the barn, indicating it likely housed farm animals at some point.

“The preservation of history of the architectural structure is important,” said McLean. “It’s neat to learn the history of the barn’s uses through time.”

One side of the barn housed a fire truck, and the other side held state transportation department vehicles. Ritch worked for the department. A garage was added to the side of the barn for his personal car.

McLean said there used to be a siren on the roof of Young’s Garage across the street, now Bath Tractor. The siren would sound when there was a fire, signaling to Ritch to get the fire truck. The truck is still preserved today.

Presently, one side of the barn is storage and the other is set up for Bath’s annual garage sale. ∞

Photo (main/above): The barn at 1997 N. Cleveland Massillon Rd. has been in Phil McLean’s family for over 90 years. Photo by Laura Bednar

Bath’s first fire truck was built and stored in the barn in 1945
and still runs today. Photo submitted.