A new event venue will be coming to the Town of Montgomery later this year as Cory and Janelle McConniel plan to renovate their historic property on North Drury Lane.

The 30-acre property is a cozy pastoral scene, with a historic barn, farmhouse, old creamery and fields guarded by picket fences.

The McConniels are turning the property into an event venue for weddings, anniversaries, parties and other large events as a way to preserve and restore the property.

“To support preservation and restoration, we want to turn it into an event venue for weddings, anniversaries, anything that people would enjoy,” McConniel said.

The five-bedroom house and one-bedroom apartment in the old creamery will be able to accommodate approximately 16 adults, and once finished, the event space should be able to accommodate between 200 and 250 people.

The McConniels stripped away one section of floor to reveal a cement milking parlor, which they host events in this summer. McConniel said the small space will be able to accommodate up to 100 people.
“Those are going to be small, intimate events,” McConniel said.

The barn is large and airy, with doors that open directly onto the space. The McConniels plan to add a patio and steps to the opening. They will refloor the entire barn and leave the milking parlor open, so the barn will have two floors.

“We think the barn space is something people will love,” McConniel said.

The couple plans to build an access from Stone Castle Road and contract with local hotels for shuttle transportation. The shuttle access to the site would cut down on traffic and parking, although the property does have a large field for some turf parking. It would also be safer for those who may be drinking.
McConniel said the barn and house are dated to sometime around 1770 or 1780. The property will most likely be considered for the national historic register this June.

Thomas Colden, a famous local settler, lived in the house around the Revolutionary War. A British loyalist, Colden might have left the property during the war to live in Canada and returned home after the war.
McConniel said the house still has its original wood floors, siding, molding and mantel pieces. The charming home also has eight fireplaces.

The property was also once owned by Alex Campbell Milk Company, the first company to send pasteurized milk to New York City, in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The McConniels came to the property as renters and lived in the creamery apartment. The previous owners had fallen ill, and the property fell into disrepair. The McConniels began to fix fences and beautify part of the property while the previous owners were preparing the sell it. Eventually, the McConniels made the decision to buy the property.

“No one was crazy enough to buy it except us,” McConniel said.

When the McConniels acquired the property, it was in extreme neglect. The house was almost unlivable, Jane McConneil said.

“The paint was peeling in chunks off the house; it was really in desperate need,” McConniel said.

Now, the McConniels are hoping the event venue will give the property a new life.

“We’re hoping the event venue can save the property,” McConniel said.

To learn more, visit thebarnatcoldenhouse.com or email info@thebarnatcoldenhouse.com.