Petition to Stop the Demolition of the Petersen Barn

We would like to thank everyone who signed our Petition to stop the demolition of the Petersen Barn in Silverdale. When we asked our community to show up - you did, and overwhelmingly so! Your responses made it clear just how much this piece of Kitsap County's history means to our community, and we want to say Thank You. All signatures and public comments can be found below. If you'd like to add additional signatures or comments - you can do so here.

Supporter Name	Additional Comments
Danielle Arias
Gabriel Kearns	I am writing as 4th generation Washingtonian. My great grandfather worked all over the Peninsula and I have postcards documenting the area from the early the 1900's. We need to preserve the history of the settlers to the area as well as the native communities or we risk losing our connections to the past and the lessons learned. It is an absolute travesty for this group to make a decision that goes against what the community wants. I trust you will change your decision. The people have spoken. Stop treading over us. Sincerely, Gabriel Kearns 4th Generation Washingtonian - Defender of the Forests and Farmland
Terry Sellmann	SAVE IT!!!
Kristen Moore
Kim Eisses
Jamie Chapman
Stewart Wilson
Samuel St Hilarie	Please save the barn....  We need to appreciate our history.
Elena Collins	Save our history through barns that matter,forests that don't need thinning, apartments,tha t don't need building. Keep our community historic not a commercial endeavor,
Lisa Plum
Jaqueline Smit
Judy Huff	It's a treasure. Leave it be.
Colleen Paris
Shaari Unger	The shape of the barn is unique. Perhaps any renovations could be done in stages. First the very outside, then room by room. Thanks for your consideration.
Holly Havnaer	Please save this piece of Kitsap history!!
Cynthia Johnson	Please do not demolish this barn until every effort has been made to consider preserving it for future generations to see the agricultural history of Kitsap County. Old farms, like this have been made into beautiful community parks and facilities throughout the state of Washington. There aren’t many, but there are some and this is a perfect opportunity to create something lasting and meaningful for future generations in Kitsap County.
Sheryle Hall	To those responsible - Please preserve AND restore this historic barn in line with Mr. Petersen’s wishes… it is an essential part of our history and should be protected from demolition. Thank you, Sheryle Hall.
Jean Lesnick	We must hold on to our history.
David Adame	Don’t know much about the ranch. Just moved from California couple years ago.  I’m part of this community now and wish to acknowledge your efforts.  I’m always behind what is right.  It seems to me this a cause.
Michael Siptroth	Historic barns are few and precious! They should be saved and the Peterson barn in this case, especially.
Kris Remley
Melissa McCourt	Enough of our community has been cut down, torn down built upon with no concern for wild life historical significance or community involvement.  Please let this piece of our history remain.
Lyle Knudsen
Rebecca Wood	Save the Petersen Barn. Please!
Katie Fletcher
Shauna Howell	Saving historical buildings adds value to the area. Hopefully this barn did not come down.
Debra Holcombe	Keep the barn!!
Karen Warren	Please save our history.
Whitney Lane
Steve Algiere, MACP, AAMS, AAC
Neal Foley	What a great thing to save.
Shelly McInnis	Please save Kitsap County historical farm buildings.
Jennifer Davis
Leigh Wright
Lydia Dobson
Bret Litten
Paula Strid
Mark Schlack	Save the barn!
Patricia Schlack	Save this history.
Michael Bean	Please don't demolish the Petersen Farm barn.
Sarah Davis	I agree that the demotion of this historic monument without further investigation of explanation of said plans, especially after significant funds to ensure its preservation is not only alarming but feels egregious.
Julie Krucek
Mark Fuller	Silverdale has already over developed and historical attributes like the Petersen Barn must be left to view as a piece of history and a reminder of the way things were many years ago. Please do not destroy the barn. Sincerely, Mark K. Fuller
Dianna Palermo
Chris Eaton	So sad! Please save the Barn!
Jenny Geelhoed
Rodney Brunelle
Gavin Cole
Heide Madden
Diana Turrieta
Sarah Mastberg
Holly James	Immediately suspend demolition of the barn and engage the community before any irreversible action is taken. Support the farming community and it’s farming future by preserving history. Comply with the simple requests of transparency. Slow down.
Marcia Dokken
Karishma Sharma	Please listen to your community!
Asha Thomas
Bryan Kramer
Tonya Berge
Kendra Burnett	Save the barn. We’re losing Kitsap heritage at an alarming rate. We need to preserve the way of life we had and try harder to save our history.
Bernie Meyer	Peterson Farm had a historical role in seeking the prevention of nuclear weapons in Kitsap County. I was there.
Peggy Hutt
Brittany Bruce	History preservation is essential.
Kelley Daniels
Maurice Bell
Ellen Williams	I fully support the agricultural community’s objections and requests. I am very disappointed and alarmed by the Conservancy’s behavior in this matter. Personally my family has preserved our historic barn in Whitman County. Surely Kitsap County can preserve at least portions of this historic structure.
Cathy Rice	Please preserve history. Save the Petersen Barn. Thank you.
Lori Reeves	My name growing up was Lori Strand. I can appreciate the old homesteader properties that we all grew up with, and am greatly saddened to see large quantities of farms sold only to have several homes built on every single acre. If Mr. Peterson requested it remain intact and used for future agriculture, then what happened? Enough’s enough. I’m sure my parents are rolling over in their graves worried us Strand kids will follow suit. Developers beware, look to destroy someone else’s backyard.
Merridy Hance	Old doesn’t mean useless. History is worth saving. I have a hammer, I’ll help.
Broox Daniel	Save Kitsap’s farming history.
Elaine Hickman
Julie Ruzanka
Laura Babcock	Stop destroying WA history!
Susan Battin	Please don't erase part of Silverdale’s history. Farms are becoming a thing of the past. Restore it.
Brooke Andersen	Half a million dollars raised for preserving this property AND barn!? Wtf
Kelly Klemm	Please save the barn!
Dionne Deschenne	As someone who supports the GPC and conservation in general, I am troubled by the lack of transparency around this process. Those of us who are committed to the work in the community are asking for due diligence and the documentation, so that we are collectively making the best decisions for our community. Please, stop, share the documents and thinking, and let’s work together to make the best use of our collective donations and efforts. Please do not proceed - united action is crucial in this work.
Scott Rose
Molly Spring
Sharon Kern
Marilyn Holt	I am sorry that no legal action was taken to halt this travesty. Perhaps legal action for recovery of damages could be commenced.
Katie Andrews
Jennifer Huckins	Please give this group a chance to help save the original barn.
Kath Mitchell
Rosemarie Torres
Gary Coyan
Darlene Granberg	Don’t destroy our history!
Daniel Knutson-Bradac	Peterson’s barn is an important place worth preserving.
Rebecca Slattery	Speaking as a member of Kitsap’s agricultural community, I hope we can trust GPC to safeguard and steward our precious farm lands in your care. Let’s work together, not at odds.
Jamie Williams	Save the barn.
Suzanne Rich
Kirstin Nicholson	Please do not tear down the barn. It’s super important to save a piece of Kitsap County history. Please follow a process that involves the public before demolition. Thank you.
Claudia Kilburn
Josh Gardner
Pamela Keeley	Stop now, include the community, answer questions!
Beth Berglund
Lawrence Herbert	It’s so iconic & a piece of history.
Aaron Logue
Kari MacKenzie
Glen Milner	Please save the Petersen Barn.
Rachel Fair
Caroline Wildflower	The Petersen farm means a lot to us who were working against the Trident submarine in the 70’s and 80’s. The Petersens were so supportive and invited us to use the farm for some of our demonstrations. The barn is iconic and historic. Please give us a voice!
Andrew Pruitt
Lynette Jennings
Elizabeth Murray	Please save the historic Petersen Barn, which was the site where thousands of nuclear weapons resisters gathered in the 1980s before marching to Naval Base Kitsap Bangor; and which is a precious part of Kitsap County’s heritage.
Cindi Brown	Please save this historic barn!
Marsha DeLoach	Save the Petersen Barn!
Sallie Shawl	I am a large donor to GPC, and I am horrified by their apparent disregard of working in good faith with KCAA to possibly save the historic treasure of the Petersen Farm barn. That KCAA offered to pay for an engineer to assess the situation, and that GPC did not get back to them, is mind boggling and really troubling. From what I’ve read, KCAA has been more than reasonable in their requests regarding the barn. PLEASE RECONSIDER THIS DECISION TO DEMOLISH THE BARN!
Gayle Helseth-Kenison
Heather Pugh
Mary Gleysteen	I donated a significant amount of money to GPC to save the Petersen Farm, which is historic and should not be demolished without further study.
Tracy Field
Sonja Via
Mike Jauregui
Rachael McKennon
Kris Thomas	Please save the history.
Tiffany Schindler	I do not support this demolition of the Petersen Barn. The lack of transparency in the decision making is glaring and shameful. Please immediately halt this process and find a way to save the barn for the community, our children, and out of respect for history and the Petersen legacy. Thank you.
Lindsay Gibbard
Jessi Ford
Trish Strong
Jan Darnall
Rhonda Donnelly
Rebecca Dominguiano
Beau Holcombe
Luke Holcombe
James Holcombe
Debra Holcombe
Kathrine Raines
Debra Engen-Bridges
Cynthia Jeffries
Tawny Ellis
Marsha Masters	Please save the history of Kitsap county!
Katie Kirkland
Christen Litten
Katie Sudimack	This building is historically significant and needs to be preserved. It's not only a beautiful and important reminder of our county's agricultural roots but is an integral part of our current and future agricultural community.
Amy Jessel
Jordan Lockard	Please, immediately suspend demolition of the barn and engage the community before any irreversible action is taken. Thank you.
Karissa Holcombe	The Petersen Farm's agricultural conservation easement was funded by the community in 2015 and requires the land to remain in agricultural use. It also places responsibility on Great Peninsula Conservancy (GPC), as the grantor of the easement, to monitor the property’s structures for historic purposes and ensure they do not fall below their 2015 baseline condition. In 2015, the Petersen Barn was listed on the Washington State Heritage Barn Register as in “fair” condition. For a barn that was already approximately 113 years old at the time, that was a meaningful starting point for preservation. GPC now states that its most recent engineering report describes the barn as being in “poor” to “very poor” condition and recommends demolition as the most "responsible" path forward. This raises important questions that the community deserves answers to: 1. Will you share the engineering report that suggests demolition is the only “responsible” path forward? 2. What has GPC allowed to happen between 2015 and today that allowed the barn to deteriorate from “fair” condition to “poor” or “very poor” condition? 3. During the approximately 18 months that GPC has held fee-simple ownership of the property, what steps have they taken to prevent further deterioration or explore preservation options? These questions matter because GPC has had a longstanding responsibility to monitor and protect the historic structures on this property. The community deserves to understand how the Petersen Barn reached its current condition and what alternatives were considered before demolition became the only solution. I fully support the proposed wash/pack facility. I question, however, that the only place to build this facility is on the current footprint of the 124-year-old barn. There are approximately 13 acres within the building envelope on this property. Before an irreplaceable, historic structure is demolished, the community deserves to see the alternatives that were considered and understand why other locations were determined to be infeasible. GPC accepted responsibility for protecting this property and its historic resources. The community trusted that responsibility would be honored. As a deeply concerned member of this community, I respectfully ask GPC to: 1. Immediately pause demolition of the Petersen Barn, set to begin on Monday, August 10th. 2. Release the engineering report and other relevant documentation supporting the decision to demolish the barn. 3. Explain what preservation and rehabilitation options have been considered. 4. Provide the community with an opportunity to understand and evaluate alternatives, including alternative locations for the proposed wash/pack facility. 5. Engage with the community and give them an opportunity to understand the WHY behind the decisions being made - and back those up with hard evidence. The community helped fund the conservation easement. Approximately $415,000 of individual funds were contributed toward the protection of this property and its historic structures. That investment represents a deep commitment that our community has to preserving Kitsap’s agricultural heritage for future generations. Please do not move forward with demolishing the barn on Monday, August 10th. Release the information that we've requested and invite the community - your donors - to be a part of this conversation. There is still time to make the right decision.
Leah Alfaro
Henry Aus	My wife and I have lived just up Clear Creek Road since 1976 and have been interested in the Petersen farm for a long time.  We are very interested in seeing it remain as long as possible.  We invested a little money in helping to protect it.
Wendy Bond	Please preserve this historic landmark! Shore it up and give tours to raise money to preserve it for the long term use of our farming community and for generations to look at the heritage of our county.
Jane Carver	Slow down and allow public comment.
Scott Nixon	Please save this historic barn.
Jodi Logue	The decision to tear down the entire barn seems lazy and short sighted. Also, not great for GPC’s reputation to blunder forward with a plan that has so specifically excluded the community that had helped and contributed to preserving this property. People talk in Kitsap. And if this organization wants future support, it’s probably wise to slow down and do the right thing.
Coreen Haydock Johnson	Please pause this demolition to have further conversations with KCCA and consider whether the entire structure needs to come down. Perhaps funding to help save at least some of it can be found/secured.
Stephanie Leong	Do not tear it down.
Shawna Dwyer
Lisa Moses	Please halt the demolition of this piece of Kitsap's history.
Candice Coronado
Elizabeth Roscoe
Christina Ryan
Pamela Loek	Stop destroying history for greed.
Michele Smeal
Lonne Green
Carl Ogle
Kye Brandon	We need to preserve the history of the farm and the legacy of farming in Kitsap County.
Liz Christianson
Kayci Tanner
Geno Holcombe
Michele Brandon	We must start respecting history and preserve buildings like the Petersen farm. Farmers were and are the backbone of our country.  Their hard work feeds us. The Petersen farm is part of the farming legacy of the farmers in Kitsap County. My grandson Kye Brandon is a young adult who also loves the farm, loves the history and understands the importance of the farm and all that it represents.  Quit destroying history!
Cayla Daniels
Serena Moyer
Jeremy Anunson	The public has placed their trust that the Conservation Easement would conserve valuable soils and historical buildings in perpetuity.
Joann Gipson	Save the Barn!
Julie Hahn
Mary Kavanaugh	Save the Peterson Barn!
Aaron Caliri
Skana Sloman	Such a shame and disgrace for anyone to tear down history and not do everything to preserve and restore this beautiful barn. Thank you for doing what you can 😢
Colen & Joanne Corey
Kimberly Reid	History should not be destroyed!!
Barry Reid
Tracy Abbott
Holly Giermann
Carla Gentry
Debra Knodel	Please do and PUBLISH the necessary research about why this even needs to be considered. We need to preserve our historical buildings!
Stina Tillotson
Jani Bryant
Heather Blucher
Katrina Godshalk	Please take the time to involve the community to save this barn! It’s an important and irreplaceable part of our history.
Sherrie Phair	It's beautiful and must be preserved. Our farming history is diminishing. Younger generations need to be reminded of history and why it's so important even in today's world.
Krista Webb	Be transparent!!! Show the report or justification and listen to stakeholders!
Denise Bryant
Jackie Beal-Conley
Erinn Hale
Tom Strid	Save at least part of the old barn!
Scott Hall	To the broader community who may have access to the comments associated with this petition, and to the GPC Board members who have a responsibility to ensure this property is managed for the public good, I urge you to set aside emotions and biases for long enough to hear a part of the story about Petersen Farm that only I can tell. I am the single best and last resource with a direct and long-term connection with Gerald Petersen, and how he wanted his beloved farm to serve the community, local agriculture, the forests and natural environment, beginning and aspiring farmers, and others seeking a connection to the land, its history, and its continued promise if managed according to his wishes. 2 things undeniable: 1. With very few exceptions the current ownership circumstance has been funded exclusively using public funding resources. There were, and should remain expectations that those funds result in an outcome rooted in what the public funding program was created for. 2. GPC has chosen to actively shut me out of the role as an advisor with intimate knowledge of every inch of the property, its agricultural history, its systems, its resources, its infrastructure and intent of the Agricultural Conservation Easement that governs how this land may be used in perpetuity. I initiated the Conservation Easement process with the Gerald Petersen Estate as means of honoring the wishes expressed in Gerald Petersens's will, and to bring the land value of his farm in line with what land restricted to agricultural uses should be. Finally, I strongly object to GPC holding both the fee ownership of this property and the ownership of the Conservation Easement. This situation is highly discouraged for Land Trust entities because it effectively nullifies the obligation of the "owner" to adhere to the contents of the Conservation Easement. For all practical purposes GPC has created Merger of Title circumstance, which they explicitly agreed to avoid in section XVII "NO MERGER" found on pages 34 and 35 of the Conservation Easement instrument as recorded 11/26/2014.
Kym Wolfe	Stop erasing history.
Suzanne T Arness
Christina Bergman
Stephanie Pizarro
karen Selvar
Nicole Houde	Save the local historical barn.
Natasha Lawver
Julia Forrester	I pray there is victory.
April Elliott
Terri Sue Samuels
Jessica Iverson
Katherine Spence	Let us try to save this barn before you demolish it.
Rena Bailey
ANTHONY BASTIAN
Nancy Cooper	Please SAVE this historic Kitsap barn!
Justin Krause	I am a previous employee of Pheasant Fields Farm on Clear Creek road. During the years I worked on the farm my boss Nikki Johanson had started a co-op with the Petersen Farm and we planted and grew crops and assisted in some maintenance and preservation on the Petersen Farm. The history this farm holds is irreplaceable and should be maintained. Thank you! Respectfully, Justin Krause
Danny Hodge	Have lived in the county off and on for 50 years! This barn has been here the whole time. Produce the report! Let the community see what it says! Then as a community decide what happens next. Cause when it's gone.. it's gone forever!
Kody Lizon
Peggy Hall
Chuck Pirtle	Please preserve this important part of Kitsap history.
Joyia Rubens
Megan Martin	I had no idea this was happening. I will try to help spread the word.
Jennifer Czarnik
Amanda greenlee
Frances Hoffman
Felicia Jepsen
Justin Reeder
Jackie Ashley	It seems that the public should be able to have a voice in this iconic and historical structure. Please do not act without exploring all the options.
David Ely	Every effort should be made to save this historic structure as Mr. Petersen wished. The process should be completely transparent and all structural analysis reports should be made public as there is a great deal of public funding invested in the property.
mary griffith-russell	Preservation of history is important, and taxpayers invested in this property with the specific intent and belief it would be preserved.  You are the stewards of this property for Kitsap County citizens so act with honor.
Laurs Rotegard	Do NOT tear down this fine barn!!!!  It’s important history! Raise the funds for stabilization. Ask me how!!! I know historic preservation. Get an architectural report- not an engineering one.
Krissie Wildenberg
Melinda Melinda	Save the barn!
Janette Murry
Jane Ramirez	Save the Petersen Barn!
Abigail Johnson
Maia Ostrom	An old farm with an old barn should be preserved. I do not support demolition of the barn. I'm a new farmer in this area. I've been farming in Kitsap for 14 years. Kitsap used to be a big farming area and I've seen this demonism even in the short time I've been here. Please don't demolish something which is irreplaceable.
Neal Foley	Please save this barn.
Denise Zaske	Please pause demolition. This barn represents an important era in Kitsap County farming. Save the Structure!
Debra Fordyce	The structure needs to be preserved.
Virginia Partridge	At least give the Public a chance to express their opinion. Please honor the owner's dying wish to have the barn saved.
Victoria Hoisington	This is needing another firm to evaluate the structure and go from there on. Those who donated to save the farm hoped it would include the barn.
Linda Popp	Please pause demolition on the barn!
George Edwards	Save all barns!!
Randall Kimball	Please halt your irresponsible destruction of our community barn. Alot of citizens have donated funds so this treasure would be protected.
Malia DuRoss
Roni Ryan	As the owner of a historic barn from the 1930's, I fully understand what restoration costs and the efforts,  I've done it.  All efforts to restore need to be fully explored before this drastic decision is made.
Lisa Marshall	Please halt Demolition of this historical Barm and important History of Kitsap County. I am calling for demolition to be halted and for the community to have an opportunity to weigh in on decisions being made. Make the Engineering report available to the public and all concerned. We all want and encourage a transparent, collaborative process.
Lisa McDermott	So easy to tear something down!  Why not treasure history, especially when the effort has already been started. Give it the time it so deserves!  Transparency is key!
Joel Thorstad
dean cooper	That is a one of a kind barn.. it cant be replaced. We should all do what we can to save it.
robert morrissey
Briana Mushinsky
Kristin Nail	Not sure why this is necessary for 'conservancy?'
David Ely	Every effort should be made to save this historic structure as Mr. Petersen wished. The process should be completely transparent and all structural analysis reports should be made public as there is a great deal of public funding invested in the property.
Marsha Larsen	Save Peterson Barn!
Carl Schlemmer	This building is part of our community’s history, we need to save what little we have left for future generations.
Carrie Carollo	Save the barn!!! We have already lost so many great farms in our area to apartments and housing developments!!!
Rita Fortner	Coming from Ellensburg originally, it is quite a stark contrast to any visual historical presence here in Silverdale. This area has only become LESS appealing over the 30 years I’ve been here. Enormous apartment complexes EVERYWHERE only encourage a more transitory type lifestyle. Nothing that people can build equity in, but rather build equity for others. At minimum, I would suggest keeping something of historical value in this ugly Apartmentopia of a town.
Erin Smith	Please keep this barn. You are destroying vital history. Our kids and grandkids need to be able to see these things in real life. Not just in pictures. We live in an age where that is digital and plastic. This barn represents a time where people took care of each other and built something.
Megan Esperti
Patricia wible	GPC has an integrity problem- i am shocked at their plan to demolish this treasure with such a lack of transparency.
Kathleen Bye
Melissa Zoller
Andrea Rutledge	I've walked on the trails and admired this barn hundreds of times over the years. Protect this heritage property.
Beth Steinbach
Jennifer Lopez
Rebecca Harris	I grew up across from the Peterson Farm in clear creek valley. It is a beautiful barn and needs to be saved.
Kate Marie
Tara Ackermann	Please don't destroy this priceless piece of local agricultural history! We trusted you with conservation of this property, please conserve history as well as the environment!
Chris Jerue	Save the Barn!!
Doug Kingsbury	Please save the Peterson barn.  It has significant historical value to Kitsap County and the state of Washington.
TANA ARMITSTEAD	This scheduled demolition needs to be paused immediately. GPC leadership needs to show full transparency concerning the alleged engineering report and explain why they are rushing through with this decision.
Rebecca Frieboes
Drea Bowen	There must be transparency in this process. The public deserves to see the reports that back up or don't back up the demolition decision.
Cynthia Cress
Diana Everist Cox	It is important to conserve the heritage of Kitsap farming.  Most local residents and particularly young people have no idea what farming and barns were like when this County played an important part in providing food and fodder in the PNW.  It is sad that the barn has not be maintained; but, none-the-less, destruction cannot be restored.  Until other options are seriously considered (and potentially funded) to retain and restore the barn it would be reckless to tear it down.
Amanda Ibrahim
Diane morrill	We need to save some pieces of history in kitsap county!!!
Della Pender	Save the barn!
Michele Robinson
Pheasant Field Farm
Barbara Meredith	Born in Kitsap County in 1945 and lifelong resident, it saddens me to see the disappearance of the remnants of old Kitsap's history. Given the amount of public and private money already invested in this property, it seems reasonable to halt demolition and allow input from those with a serious interest in the farm. Explore other alternatives with the community. The barn will still be there to raze if nothing viable is determined.
Kelly Allard	I think for the sake of transparency, all public questions regarding the barn demo should be answered properly before any action is taken.
Pamela Bilodeau	The barn could be placed on the Washington Historic Barns list, which opens it up for grants. Barns in worse shape than this have been saved this way. I myself have a historic barn on my property (built in 1910 per county records) and replaced the roof with the help of one of these grants.
Heidi Cross
Sam Monoe	Please save this beautiful historical barn!
Michelle Rogayan	Do not tear this down.
Jamie Rogayan	This is an historical landmark and deserves to be saved for future generations.
Carol Jonn-Hause
Kevin Tisdel	I worked on Clear Creek next to this barn in the mid 80's as a teenager. My off campus High School Marine Biology class repaired or put up fencing and a crossing bridge for cows. This is a Washington State historic farm and must be preserved and restored. Do not demolish. Kevin J. Tisdel
Carol Hardebeck
Laurie Davis	Please reconsider demolishing this historic treasure.
Amy Narkiewicz
Kristen Moore
Heather Camp	My dad Jim Hath help Mr. Peterson 1980s 1990s. Sad to demolish every piece of history our community has.
Celeste Stoll	There are a number of historic structures that need to be preserved. Please stop this destruction of something important so important from our past.
Kimberly Perdue	Save the past for the future generations!
Talina Wood	This is a local historic treasure that warrants exhausting all other means of preservation and renovation prior to being torn down. Public and tax payer money was contributed in good faith for the preservation of the barn and property. That money demands full and transparent due diligence prior to arriving at demolition as the sole remaining option. Given the lack of transparency and failure to provide the public with engineering reports and other evidence to support demolition, one must wonder if there are self serving individual interest existing within the GPC staff and leadership. This would indicate a significant conflict of interest that bears investigation. I formally request that demolition be halted and that the community (many whom financially contributed) have an opportunity to engage in the process to decide the barns fate. Respectfully, Talina Wood, 6th Generation Kitsap County resident.
Julie Svenson-Garcia	If this historic piece of our community is lost, there is no going back. There is nothing wrong with a pause to do the right thing.
Merridy Hance	History ... legacy... are worth saving.  I'm honored to support preservation of this important barn.
Jacie Anunson	Please save the historic barn!
Amanda McConnell	If GPC is truly acting in the best interest of the property as a responsible steward of the community's money and Mr. Petersen's wishes, there should be complete transparency.
Lisa Marie Wilson
Debbie Simpson
Ryan Crossen
Beverly McGowen
Lauri Boren
Ron Carson
Nancy Olsten	Please be transparent about the reason this discision was made and let the community be part of the decision making. Historic preservation of farm buildings is important for this community!
Ginger Samples	This barn is a historical landmark. It was a productive part of the community. It provides insight to ALL future farmers.
Katie Richardson
Carolyn Thompson
Kim Eisses
Bethany Graham
Cynthia Landis	Save the barn and farm!
Julia Zander
Thomas Doty	Seems reasonable to specify, in engineering terms, why this historic building is deemed beyond resurrection.
Teresa Walton	We are losing too much of local history. Please save the barn.
Tammy Albanese
MARY ENGES	If the GPC ever wants people to donate to a cause in the future, they need to do the right thing and halt this demolition until all the KCAA questions raised are answered. Otherwise, this is a disingenuous taking of a building without any sort of due process, which with federal dollars involved and NEPA looming, they should know about. Otherwise, GPC needs to just GO AWAY. Because there's not a farmer I know - including myself - that will ever, ever be involved in supporting their causes.
Adrianna Hewitt	The history that comes with this farm is to be protected; as an obligation to the community whom saved it. Once it is destroyed, there is no going back. The Petersen farm was already adulterated by the state in order to build the highway to Bangor. We cannot continue to destroy the last sheds of our history.
Sarah Polumsky
Baron Goit	Hope there is time to reconsider. Silverdale has a history that needs to be remembered by actual  structures not just photo's
Laura Deckman
Margaret Strausbaugh
CINDY ALLPRESS	TEARING THIS ICONIC BARN DOWN IS NOT THE ANSWER ! there are so few old barns left in this county, lets figure this out !!
Erika Anderson
Anne Wainwright	Preserve this historic barn!!
Rachel McBain	More and more, Kitsap is changing—and not always in a good way. A plan that does not preserve history that the people value benefits no one. Please protect this and other historic structures in the area.
Wendie Pond	PLEASE DONT DESTROY HISTORY!  This barn tells a story...💔
Maria Hays
Ryan Engdahl	Dear Mr. Daniel, Ms. Montgomery, Mr. Steffens, Mr. Baldwin, Mr. Kuntz, and Members of the Great Peninsula Conservancy Board: I write as a concerned Kitsap County resident in strong support of the Kitsap Community & Agricultural Alliance’s call to immediately pause demolition of the historic 1902 Petersen Barn, scheduled to begin Monday, August 10. The barn is an irreplaceable piece of Kitsap’s agricultural heritage on one of the county’s last remaining early homesteads. Community members invested more than $415,000 toward the Agricultural Conservation Easement, and the NRCS contributed $255,000 in federal funds. That easement specifically identifies the historic barn as a conservation value to be protected. Mr. Petersen’s own wishes included refurbishing and maintaining the barn as a working farm structure. A nationally recognized historic-barn expert, Dr. Harrison Goodall, assessed the structure and described it as a “historic treasure,” noting that original portions of the 1902 barn remain salvageable even while later additions have structural issues. Before an irreversible decision is carried out, I respectfully urge GPC to: •  Immediately suspend demolition. •  Publicly share the engineering report(s) that form the basis for the current recommendation. •  Commission or complete any additional independent structural and feasibility studies focused on stabilization and phased restoration of the original fabric. •  Engage the agricultural community, historic-preservation experts, and the broader public in a transparent process. Funding avenues exist that could support preservation. Washington’s Heritage Barn Preservation Initiative provides matching grants for stabilization and rehabilitation of significant agricultural buildings. At the federal level, the USDA historic barn preservation authorities, National Park Service programs (including Save America’s Treasures and related historic revitalization grants), and the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives (20% rehabilitation tax credit for certified historic structures) have helped similar projects nationwide. Across the country, restored historic barns have delivered clear economic and cultural returns: adaptive reuse as community event venues, interpretive centers, educational spaces, and agritourism destinations. Documented examples show local job creation, tourism draw, and multipliers often cited in the range of several dollars returned for every public or private dollar invested, while preserving tangible links to agricultural history that strengthen community identity and sense of place. Once demolished, the barn cannot be replaced. Pausing now to share assessments, explore viable preservation paths, and involve the community that helped protect this land honors both the easement’s intent and the public trust placed in GPC as steward. I ask you to halt the demolition, release the relevant reports, and work collaboratively toward the goal of preserving this historic structure for future generations. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Ryan Engdahl
Sara Hall
Erin Richards