Steeped in the rich agricultural history of small-town Brussels, Ontario, proprietors Bryan and Floral Morton introduced Four Winds Barn to guests from near and far in 2014. Born out of a passion for historic and heritage barns and a desire to give back, Bryan Morton undertook Four Winds from concept to creation as a project celebrating community. An exceptional local farmer for more than 40 years, Bryan loved working the earth and harvesting its bounty. Artfully taking the farmland as his canvas, Four Winds became Bryan’s magnum opus: a creative masterpiece born of his own two hands. Brian is remembered as saying “Barns are a part of my life – I love them!” In fact, according to family lore, he was almost born in a barn. Over half a century later, he succeeded in moving a 160-year-old structure from a nearby farm to a property located behind the Brussels Public Library with the help of a hardworking team made up of members of the local Mennonite community. Originally built in 1862 by Alexander Stewart, The Wheeler Barn is an English High Post bank barn. Bryan’s vision invites guests to step deep into Ontario’s agricultural history, revitalizing and giving back to the community that gave him and his family a lifetime of memories and friendships. “Old barns remind me of cathedrals” Bryan reflected. To walk here is to step into a soaring architectural haven where, for more than a century and a half, guests and families have shared memories, harvest, and history. “I’ve always had a fondness for old barns, and this was about saving one” Bryan said. Marveling at the architecture and artistry of old barns erected by farmer-engineers without the benefit of power tools and cranes, Bryan noted that “these old barns have both function and form”. “Now this barn will be around for a long time for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.” Bryan felt it was deeply important to honour farmers, the master craftsmen of generations past, and to preserve the magnificence of old barns for generations to come. From the hand-laid stone addition, reclaimed church stones, and various barn foundations, to Bryan’s design of motion-activated water pump faucets, the Four Winds barn is a venue that will leave an indelible mark on your own story. And Four Winds itself honors a very tender part of the Morton family’s story, as the stone addition that Bryan laboured over was built in memory of his daughter, Aimee Ruth Ellen, who was killed in a farm accident at the age of two. “She never got a chance to fall in love and get married so we christened this stone addition ‘Aimee’s Wedding Loft’”. Four Winds represents Bryan’s passion, harnessing earth and sky - a symbolic legacy of his vision and creativity, hard work and ingenuity, representing a deep love and sincere service to family, friends and community.