Yoder family donates famous Yoder Barn to CNU

News Release - March 15, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media contact:
Carolyn Cuthrell
Office of Communications and Public Relations
carolyn.cuthrell@cnu.edu
(757) 594-7331

(NEWPORT NEWS, Va.) — The Yoder Barn Theatre, a well-known landmark on the Peninsula of Virginia, has been given to Christopher Newport University by the Yoder family and the Yoder Preservation Trust, Inc. Today’s ceremony, where the keys to the property were presented to CNU President Paul Trible, marked the third chapter for the barn that housed dairy cows from 1935 to 1969 and later became a vibrant community theater.

The Yoder Barn in Newport News, VA.

“We feel very fortunate that the Yoder family has entrusted us with this priceless facility and remarkably valuable piece of property” said Paul Trible. “CNU’s momentum and success are creating opportunities that would have been unthinkable only a few short years ago. This extraordinary gift is one powerful example of that.”

In thinking about the future of the Yoder Barn Theatre, John David Yoder, Esther Mable and the Yoder sisters considered who could best preserve and treasure their family legacy. “We wanted it to have a secure future,” said John David, who is now 80. “We needed to plan for this lovely structure. President Trible has been so supportive in attendance, interest and fundraising for the Yoder Theatre. Naturally we thought of talking with him first.”

The Yoder Barn Theatre will enrich the academic and extracurricular life of students, faculty and the university community. It will be a site for CNU theater and musical productions, student organization activities, and LifeLong Learning Society programs and gatherings. It also will be made available for use by the community.

The programming that the Yoders provided the community over the years will be continued and expanded using the expertise of the professional staff from the Ferguson Center for the Arts.

“We will bring back popular Yoder programs such as Tommy Emanuel and Hunt Family Fiddlers and add many other programs ranging from groups like the Dukes of Dixieland to Second City Comedy to Latin Dance Bands,” said Trible. “Moreover, we envision producing a highly professional summer theater program beginning in 2008.”

The property has been appraised at $4.1 million.  This is the second most generous gift ever received by CNU.

In addition, a group of business and community leader have committed more than $300,000 to enhance the operation of the theater going forward. These funds will be used to improve the sound systems and seating for guests and to expand and diversify programming.

The Yoder barn was built in 1935 by the Yoder family following a fire that destroyed their original barn built in 1899. The Yoders ran a dairy farm until 1969 when they closed their processing plant operation to raise beef cattle and farm crops. Upon the sale of the main farm land in 1995, the family donated property they owned a quarter of a mile away to a community theater project on which the current Yoder barn was moved to serve as the theater’s structure.