Northstar Stone & Landscape Supply
Unique in Whatcom county, Northstar Stone & Landscape Supply offers products that are not available elsewhere in the area. Our wide selection of products range from inexpensive topsoil to natural stone artwork that is unsurpassed in natural beauty. We offer a large selection of retaining wall block, concrete pavers, stepping-stones, and many other products at competitive prices. We take pride in our large selection of natural stone for numerous applications including retaining walls, patios, walkways, garden paths; stone veneers for fireplaces and entrys; granite, limestone and other stone tile for floors or other application. Everything from rainbow pea gravel from Montana and flagstone from Pennsylvania to local landscape boulders and outcrop rock.
Whether you desire to build a retaining wall of natural stone or a concrete segmental wall block, pave a patio or walkway with flagstone or concrete pavers, accent your garden or yard with strategically chosen and placed outcrop rock, or furnish a patio or quiet garden spot with a bird baths, benches or beautifully crafted stone furnishings, Northstar Stone & Landscape Supply is the place to shop.
We are conveniently located just north of the airport, right next to I-5 at the Slater Rd. exit (exit 260) in the Blue Barn. Come in and see for yourself that Northstar is a new and different kind of landscape supply store.
Northstar’s Old Barn
Our old barn was built sometime early in the early twentieth century or perhaps late in the nineteenth century as a cow barn by a man reportedly named Hills. In 1962 Glenn Barr and family bought the barn and property from the Hills family for the purpose of making a square dance barn out of it. They were told that the barn had been built by the Hills’ grandfather. As seen in the photos below, both of Glenn’s daughters also used it for keeping horses.
This is apparently the earliest picture we have of our old barn home. This picture was in the possession of Barn and horse one of the owners and was probably taken sometime shortly after the Barr’s bought the barn. The car appears to be an early fifties Pontiac / Oldsmobile or possibly a Packard. The gray or white paint on the old barn is in pretty sad shape showing an age of at least twenty years in this photo.
It is unknown who is on the ladder finishing the paint on the west side of the barn, or who is painting the south side of the barn.painting the barn This photo was doubtless taken in the spring of 1964. Notice the date stamp the processor put on the left margin of the photo. This also coincides with the information in the Bellingham Herald article scanned and shown below.
Shortly after the Barr’s bought the barn, work began on remodeling the structure to serve as a square dance barn. The stalls were removed; the center opening in the hayloft was closed up and rotted support posts were replaced. Upstairs, an eastern maple dance floor was laid and a band stand and sound system were installed. Above is a view of the dance floor just after the project was finished in 1964.
Complete with tables and benches, a kitchen, a coat rack, a buffet counter (left) and wagon wheel lights the former home for livestock is now complete.
Glenn Barr (left) installs a post on the south side of the barn. It is apparently the same unknown person helping here as is on the ladder finishing up the painting above. Note the late fifties DeSoto in the background. The house in the far background still stands just north of the Slater Rd.
Almost completed, Barr’s Square Dance Barn still awaits the finishing touches. This photo was taken from near the shoulder of Hwy. 99. The Pacific Hwy. as is is now will run on the other side of the barn. To get this view today one would have to stand between I-5 and the northbound off ramp at Slater Rd. Note the old cars in the photo, from left to right, a 1959? DeSoto, a 1961 Ford Fairlane? and a 1958 Chevrolet Belair.
With the final touches of the sign, the dancing figures, and the wagon wheel, Barr’s Western Dance Barn was complete. These photos were probably taken in mid spring 1964. It is probably a safe bet that if Glenn Barr hadn’t remodeled the barn for square dancing, the old building would have been demolished by now.
Appearing in the January 31st 1964 edition of the Bellingham Herald , “Barr’s Western Dance Barn” announces their grand opening
Also appearing in the same edition of the paper is this short article about Glenn Barr and his barn. Glenn Barr called dances in this barn for another eight years. How long the barn continued as a dance barn is uncertain. Glenn passed away in April of 1980 and a memorial dance was held a few weeks later.
This photo of the barn was shot from what is now Northstar’s stone yard. Note the utility pole in the background along Hwy. 99 and the small tree where a planter is now. The date of this photo is not clear, but it is likely that it was taken in the spring of 1964. The front structure was apparently still used to house horses while the rest of the facility was a dance barn.
The building was freshly painted in a traditional “barn red” and trim was added and painted. The center door is still a door, but the two side doors have been framed in as windows. A concrete sub floor was poured, and the floor is now polished granite tile. This area houses Northstar’s cashiers counter.
All set up for a barn dance or some other social occasion, the downstairs area of the barn as it was in the spring of 1964.
Also appearing in the same edition of the paper is this short article about Glenn Barr and his barn. Glenn Barr called dances in this barn for another eight years. How long the barn continued as a dance barn is uncertain. Glenn passed away in April of 1980 and a memorial dance was held a few weeks later.
