A pioneer and leader in the post-and-beam industry since its founding in 1969, Yankee Barn Homes is celebrating 50 years of innovation and excellence this year. Five decades ago, Emil Hanslin and his wife Suzie, an equestrian, were inspired by barn architecture and felt it could be the basis for a wonderful home. With his Swiss roots and third-generation carpentry skills, Hanslin set upon a concept of using reclaimed beams hewn from massive timbers. He designed a barn-style post-and-beam home package that could be assembled on a foundation in only five days, with unrivaled beauty, value and efficiency. Using the finest materials for weather protection and energy conservation at a time when both ideas were rare, he set out to market his design, the Mark I, and built his first model home in New Seabury, Mass., forming Yankee Barn Homes on February 14, 1969.
Quickly gaining a cult following across the East Coast, the company was featured in Life Magazine in its first year, highlighting the revolutionary home design. In 1973, as growth and expansion continued, Yankee Barn Homes relocated northward to new and larger facilities in Grantham, N.H., where it remains to this day.
Granite Ridge kitchen
Hanslin was recognized by the National Association of Home Builders as one of American housing’s most influential leaders. For half a century, Yankee Barn Homes’ pre-fabricated construction process, which embraces passive energy savings and progressive design ideas, has led the industry. Today, led by co-owners Paul Marinelli and Jeffrey Rosen, the company maintains its position at the helm of innovation. Developed in 1969, the company trademarked its roof and wall panel system in 1997. The True Panel System exponentially increases energy efficiency in every home. YBH designs now extend far beyond the humble beginnings of the Mark I, into virtually any architectural style: from contemporary barn home to farmhouse, cottage to mountain lodge.
“It is truly a privilege to celebrate this milestone and to reflect on the experiences of the past fifty years,” said co-owner Marinelli. “We set the bar high, and we continue to do so. We are honored – and challenged – by the reputation we’ve earned over the years and by the customers with whom we’ve had the pleasure of working. We’re grateful to all who’ve helped us reach this anniversary, and we look forward to many more years to come.”
“We’ve built more than 1,500 homes, and we treat each home we design and manufacture as if it were going to be our own,” said co-owner Rosen. “We have a focused passion for what we do that creates unrivaled quality. We know that our first homes built 50 years ago are already standing the test of time. From a design and quality perspective, it’s critical for us draw on what we know, to look past the immediate and to remember that what we create today will be enjoyed for generations to come and should always be timeless.”
To celebrate its 50thanniversary, Yankee Barn Homes hosted a celebration event on July 26, 2019, which included private tours of local Yankee homes, as well as their new model home, the Springfield Barn Home, located in the community of Eastman, in Grantham, N.H.
