Seven Elms barn dance a highlight of Lebanon 250th

The barn at Seven Elms will be the site of Lebanon's own barn dance next Saturday. (Lebanon Voice photos)

COPYRIGHT2017© LEBANON - Seven Elms, as celebrated a Lebanon property as there ever was, will fittingly be the site a week from today of the signature party celebrating the town's 250^th birthday.

It is a property steeped in history, a history not lost on the home's owners, John and Becky Silvia, which is why they are happy to open up their historic barn for an old-fashioned family barn dance next Saturday night, the first day of a four-day celebration the town has planned.

"We look at ourselves like the caretakers of this place as much as the owners," Becky Silvia said on Friday.

Seven Elms was built in 1848 by Samuel Shapleigh, a merchant seaman whose business was based along the Piscataqua River in Eliot.

Seven Elms has a storied past and a lively future in store at next Saturday's barn dance.

Since then the house has gone through many owners and had many transformations. It has been a boarding house, a restaurant, a school for emotionally challenged children, and at one point even turned into three separate apartments.

When the Silvias bought it in 1992 they restored it to a single-family residence where they brought up their children.

Sadly, however, the historic barn was in serious disrepair, with part of the roof missing, a dirt floor covered with old livestock manure and debris like chicken wire and broken glass everywhere, Becky Silvia said.

After much time and money the barn was renovated to its stunning, rustic splendor of today, complete with wide plank flooring, a chandelier and several ceiling fans for comfort on a warm summer night.

Perhaps as an homage to former neighbor, 19^th-century Norwegian violin virtuoso Ole Bull or perhaps just to evoke and old-timey feel, the entertainment next Saturday is titled an "Old-Time Country Dance by Peter Yarensky," Lebanon 250^th organizer Nancy Wyman said on Friday.

There will also be a square dance caller, who will gently walk guests through the square dance moves, Becky Silvia said.

Peter Yarensky (Courtesy photo)

Refreshments will be served. Tickets for the nonalcoholic family event are $8 for adults, $5 for children.

Tickets can be bought from Wyman, who can be reached at 207.658.4259, or bought at the door next Saturday. The dance begins at 7:30 p.m. and is hosted by the Silvias.

For more info on Lebanon's 250th four-day celebration go to Facebook, key words Lebanon 250th birthday, where day by day calendars can be found.

For more info on the Seven Elms barn and rental info, go to https://www.facebook.com/thebarnatsevenelms/.