Paul Rumph of Independence Township has lived on the same farm for the past 30 years.
‘I like anything that has stood the test of time. Anything old that has lasted decades and decades, especially in the throw away world that we live in now,? Rumph said.
He was asked to be a part of this year’s Barn Tour, set for Oct. 21, hosted by the Clarkston Community Historical Society. Rumph was told his barn dates back anywhere between 150 to 160 years old.
‘It just so happens, the barn tour gave me an excuse to clean it up and clean it out,? he said.
Rumph said he is amazed when he thinks about the process of building the original barn, having to cut down trees and square them off using old-fashioned tools.
‘I’d hate to think how long it took to build this barn and the fact that it has survived for 150, 160 years is a tribute to the craftsmanship,? he said.
A farmer’s success was measured by the size of his barn, not his house, because ‘that’s where the livestocks and money was earned,? he said.
‘Nowadays they put the money in the house and let the barn go. It used to be the barn was the pride and the house was little. Now the house is big and the barns are just being let go.?
Even though old barns are rapidly diminishing, Rumph has seen both young and old people develop a ‘romance? with old barns by wanting to take pictures of them as well as look at them. Old barns ‘give up secrets,? he said.
‘There’s days when the sun is shining on the outside and it comes between the boards, if there is any dust on the inside you get those rays of sunshine that stream through the cracks between the boards,? he said. ‘Late at night when you turn the lights on in the barn, it’s just the opposite. If you’re standing on the outside now you have all those vertical streams of light between every board flooding out from the inside and that’s really cool.?
Rumph said his next project is historically restoring the barn back to original construction. Over the years, many owners modified it slightly.
‘It will be a fun, interesting project,? said Rumph. ‘We are going to utilize as much of the original materials that we can and what materials need to be replaced, we are going to replace those with original materials from other barns.?
Rumph said for the first 15 years, he raised buffalo on the farm.
‘I had 13 buffalo, 24 steers, four dogs, six

cats, and three children,? he said with a chuckle.
Rump’s basement much like his barn contains years of history including old farm tools, pictures, even an old poker table.
Rumph was born and grew up on the Eastside of Detroit with his brother and three sisters. He said all of his ancestors were farmers and ‘close to the earth? which is probably where he got his love for it all.
At a young age Rumph had Rheumatoid Arthritis he said it got so bad he couldn’t even put on his socks at age 18.
‘I worked in the retail food business and they (the doctors) had me on 16 aspirins a day. They said until my stomach gave out to continue taking the aspirin and then they would put me on gold injections,? he said.
A guy that Rumph worked for had a brother who was a chiropractor (Jim Craft), he recommended Rumph to check him out. Rumph said he ended up meeting and talking with Craft at a ball game. He told Rumph he might have a bone out in his neck that wasn’t allowing his arms and hands to function properly.
‘I stopped by his office, he adjusted me about 12, 15 times and all the pain went away in my elbows and my hands,? said Rumph. ‘It blew me away. I was like ‘get out of here, how can this be??
Rumph said after reading a couple of books Craft had given him and sitting in his office watching people get adjusted and helping people feel better, Rumph knew what he wanted to do for the rest of his life, to be a chiropractor. After much consideration and prayer, he packed his bags and moved to Davenport Iowa where he attended Palmer College of Chiropractic and graduated with a 3.85 GPA.
‘For me work isn’t work,? said Rumph. ‘I’ve been doing it for 32 years now, and I love it as much now as when I started.?
Rumph says he gets to the office at about 2 a.m. and sometimes stays until 8 p.m. He said he has many patients who are very thankful for what he does, but Rumph says he cannot take full credit.
‘I tell them it’s not me, you’re really healing yourself. All I am doing is taking the pressure off the nerve and allowing the power that made the body to heal the body,? he said. ‘You’re body wants to be well, if you scratch yourself it heals. It’s just you had a pinched nerve that wasn’t allowing it to do what God made it to do. I’ve got a ring side seat at creation,? he said.
Rumph said he takes very few vacations; he is either at the farm or at the office. Even though he loves being at the office, he loves coming home, too.
‘I like being outside and being very comfortable by myself,? he said. ‘Here I am with people all day long, this is my release. I come home and it’s like therapy. I can just go outside, nothing I like better than putting fence post in, splitting firewood or moving rocks.?
When Rumph purchased the property he said he bought 39 acres, but then purchased the 17 acres across the street because he did not want neighbors directly across from him.
‘How greedy of me to want a sanctuary and quietness, if I want to sing when I am cutting grass, I sing. If I want to roll down the hill, I roll down the hill,? he said. ‘This is really who I am. Out here I can be me, I can dress the way I want, I can run and act crazy, and I can work as much as I want to work.?
Rumph also said when he found his wife, he found the women of his dreams.
‘Everybody likes Patti. She is the best wife, she is the best mother, she is the best friend, she is the best person, (and) she has the kindest heart of anybody in the world,? he said.
Rumph’s Chiropractic office is also family ran. His oldest son, Paul Jr., 32 is the office manager and property manger of the farm. His daughter Rebecca, 30 and his youngest son B.J. are also chiropractors at the office. His wife Patti takes care of all the money, payroll, and paperwork.
The Barn tour will be Sunday Oct. 21 from 12-4 p.m. Patrons will meet under the tent at the Washington and Main Street parking lot to receive their detailed tour program and map beginning at noon. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Children under 5 and under are free. Tickets can be ordered by calling the CCHS office, 248-922-0207 or purchased at the Clarkston Country Store at 21 North Main St, the Chamber of Commerce at 5586 Main, and the day of the event between 12-2 p.m.
‘The barn tour is about the love of old barns,? say Rumph. ‘They just have a magic to them.?