Barn at Oscar Hammerstein II's Pennsylvania farm collapses in storm

On Wednesday evening, a barn located on the Highland Farm property in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, which was previously owned by Oscar Hammerstein II, collapsed during a thunderstorm. The Oscar Hammerstein Museum and Theatre Education Center, which acquired the property in December 2023, plans to clear the debris next week. The barn, which had been unused for several years, was scheduled for demolition and reconstruction as a theater education center and exhibition space. Fundraising efforts are necessary, with an estimated completion timeline of at least five years. Prior to the rebuilding, the museum intends to renovate the house, likely starting in the fall. Hammerstein, an eight-time Tony Award winner and two-time Academy Award recipient, resided at the farm for two decades, creating many of his works there.