On Friday, bulldozers demolished the century‑old barn on the Muth property, clearing a 400‑unit multifamily complex at the northwest corner of Paradise Drive and River Road. The machines pushed the barn’s remnants past its fieldstone foundation, and nearby trees were felled to open the site. The demolition marked the end of a farming operation that had spanned from 1847 to the present.
George Muth, the fifth generation of the family to work the land, recalled the place as a corn, soybean, and hay field. "That was always a farm field," he said, reflecting on a past where Paradise Drive was a skinny, one‑lane road. The Muths’ connection to the property has lasted nearly 180 years, a continuity that now ends with a new development.
Washington County has approved the subdivision plan, which will bring roughly 400 multifamily units to the area. Residents near Paradise Drive and River Road have voiced concerns about increased traffic and safety on the busy road. The county’s decision has sparked debate over the balance between growth and community impact.
Beyond the farm, the Muths owned Egbert & Guido’s Express, a gas station that operated for 21 years before selling to Kwik Trip in 2018. Despite the sale, the family still runs a dairy farm in Fillmore, underscoring their continued ties to agriculture even as their legacy property transitions to urban use.