Garin Barn

May 7, 2016 by lauramacky 44 Comments

Back at Garin Park, this time I have a picture of a barn for you.   It’s a visitor center now but once was the barn of Ukranian patriot, writer, and publisher Father Agapius Honcharenko and his wife Albina.

East Bay Regional Parks acquired the property in 1965.  Today little remains of the original farmstead except the barn, some remnant stone walls that appear to have lined the original drive to the barn, and a two acre orchard with 160 varieties of heritage apples.  So, for history lovers, bird watchers, hikers or wild flower seekers – this is a great spot.

I’ve included some history below in case you’re interested.  You can click on the image to see it larger.

Garin Barn – Antiqued Photograph

Father Honcharenko and his wife Albina lived here for 43 years during their exile from Ukraine.  Born in Kiev in 1832, Honcharenko attended Kiev Theological Seminary and entered a monastery at 21.  He was appalled by the Church’s suppression of peasants while the monks lived in luxury.  This led him to dedicate his work to the overthrow of the feudal system in the Russian Empire.  His writings and activities earned him his revolutionary reputation among government officials.  Among freedom fighters and patriots, he was respected around the world.  Honcharenko faced many hardships including arrest warrants and death threats, forcing his escape to New York.  In 1867, while being stalked by Czarist police, he moved to San Francisco.  Finally in 1873, he was tracked to the west.  Honcharenko sought sanctuary on the remote farm they purchased in the Hayward hills.  For decades, they quietly tended their orchards, while Honcharenko remained a champion of the under classes. He died in 1916, a year after Albina’s death.”   The site is State Historic Landmark No. 1025.  Honcharenko and Albina are buried at the site.

 

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