Bicentennial Barns of Indiana's Top 10 Barns
We are pleased to announce the Top 10 Bicentennial Barns! Ten barns were selected from among the more than 200 barns that were entered. We hope you like the selections - it was difficult to choose just a few, because there were so many outstanding. Some have stories dating back to before Indiana was a state, while others have stories related to celebrities, historical figures, were stops on stagecoach lines or coal mines. Others have generations of family stories and events. Some are inspiring because of a loving restoration. Many are still part of working farms, but many also reflect creative uses as event venues, theaters, museums, or farm markets. But all of them contained a great sense of pride of ownership and everyone should be acknowledged for their stewardship.
The contest was opened in early 2015 and ran through December, 2015. Once the competition closed, a panel of agriculturalists, artists, and preservationists selected 10 barns that best represented Indiana. These barns were selected based on the on the integrity of the original architecture, the history and story, purpose and overall aesthetics. Winning barns will be celebrated throughout the rest of the year and via a traveling exhibit.
Details on these events will be announced on this website. Now please enjoy the 10 beauties below!
The contest was opened in early 2015 and ran through December, 2015. Once the competition closed, a panel of agriculturalists, artists, and preservationists selected 10 barns that best represented Indiana. These barns were selected based on the on the integrity of the original architecture, the history and story, purpose and overall aesthetics. Winning barns will be celebrated throughout the rest of the year and via a traveling exhibit.
Details on these events will be announced on this website. Now please enjoy the 10 beauties below!
Allhands Barn, Henry County
The large and stately barn is visible while traveling on Highway US 40 near Lewisville, on the west side of Big Flat Rock River.
The barn has three levels and was built in 1899 but finished in 1900.
The original barn is approximately 105 x 45 feet and is a pegged timber barn. Additions on the north gable end of the barn add another 88 feet to the overall length : making it approximately 194 x 45 feet. The stone foundation, visible in some areas, has utilized some massive stones in its construction. Above these huge stones are dressed and stacked stones that support the sill.
There are multiple windows on all sides. The barn's siding is sculptured and painted red and white. Two cupolas are located on the gable ridge. Each cupola has eight louvered vents and a hip roof.
The lowest level was used to feed cattle, the middle level; accessible through the large wagon doors, was used for grain and machinery storage. The uppermost level held hay and straw. There are trap doors on both levels that allowed for hay and grain to be dropped down to the cattle. These trap doors also provided addition ventilation option.
The farm, including this barn, has been home to seven generations of the same family. The barn has had additions and improvements over the years and is still in use today.
The large and stately barn is visible while traveling on Highway US 40 near Lewisville, on the west side of Big Flat Rock River.
The barn has three levels and was built in 1899 but finished in 1900.
The original barn is approximately 105 x 45 feet and is a pegged timber barn. Additions on the north gable end of the barn add another 88 feet to the overall length : making it approximately 194 x 45 feet. The stone foundation, visible in some areas, has utilized some massive stones in its construction. Above these huge stones are dressed and stacked stones that support the sill.
There are multiple windows on all sides. The barn's siding is sculptured and painted red and white. Two cupolas are located on the gable ridge. Each cupola has eight louvered vents and a hip roof.
The lowest level was used to feed cattle, the middle level; accessible through the large wagon doors, was used for grain and machinery storage. The uppermost level held hay and straw. There are trap doors on both levels that allowed for hay and grain to be dropped down to the cattle. These trap doors also provided addition ventilation option.
The farm, including this barn, has been home to seven generations of the same family. The barn has had additions and improvements over the years and is still in use today.
T.C. Singleton Barn, Daviess County
We have been told that our round barn embodies the efforts to improve the efficiency & productivity of farm operations through innovative agricultural building design, during Indiana’s “Golden Age” of agriculture (1881-1920). From an architectural standpoint, it's been said that it is a highly intact example of the round barn type in Indiana.
The significant qualities & features of the barn are embodied in its location, design, materials & setting. The barn is a true circular barn, sixty-four feet in diameter, with a central driveway. It stands on concrete foundation & is built of wood frame construction clad with board & batten siding. The exterior features louvered vents, several small windows & solid doors. The two main doors open to a center driveway. The barn has space for livestock at the ground level, above which is a capacious hay loft, under a three pitch gambrel roof. A corn crib lines about a quarter of the outer wall. The barn stands alone in a pasture located at the southwest corner of State Road 57 & County Road West 450 South, in Daviess County.
The T. C. Singleton Round Barn was previously determined eligible under the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Listing, “Round and Polygonal Barns of Indiana,” submitted by Jerry McMahan, Graduate Assistant, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, October 19, 1991.
An important part of Daviess County’s architectural heritage can be found in this true circular barn & over one hundred years later, the T. C. Singleton Round Barn functions remain the same as when it was built. Tom Singleton’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue the proud tradition of maintaining the barn in exceptional condition. The T. C. Singleton Round barn remains a strong family tradition & is one of Daviess County’s most outstanding agricultural structures.
There is one story in particular that many find fascinating about black boxes that were apparently found hidden in the barn, in 1927. In 1925, D. C. Stephenson, grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, was tried & convicted of the kidnapping, rape & murder of Madge Oberholtzer, a state education official. While in prison in 1927, after failing to secure a pardon from Governor Edward L. Jackson, Stephenson vowed revenge by leaking documents to the Indianapolis News that identified numerous elected officials (both state & local) who were bankrolled by the KKK. Apparently, he said that the documents were hidden in two black boxes somewhere in Indiana & finally told reporters that they were secreted in Thomas Singleton's round barn.
Thomas Singleton had no knowledge of the black boxes (he had absolutely no klan connections whatsoever) & was as shocked as anyone when, in July 1927, Marion County's deputy prosecuting attorney, Emsley W. Johnson, Sr., met with Stephenson's longtime friend, Evansville businessman L.G. Julian, to recover the hidden black boxes from Singleton's barn.
By an amazing coincidence, Emsley Johnson, Sr., was a nephew (by marriage) of Thomas Singleton. Johnson knew first hand that Singleton was innocent of any involvement with the boxes. Stephenson probably arranged with L.G. Julian to have the boxes secured in a remote location that could easily be found when subsequently needed. The round barn's identification (visible from the road) & it's location along a prominent state highway (57), immediately south of a county seat (Washington, Daviess County) made it an ideal hiding place.
They say that the evidence discovered in Stephenson's two black boxes resulted in the prosecution & conviction of numerous KKK-affiliated elected officials & marked the collapse of the klan's political power in Indiana.
Another story of interest is that shortly after moving to Indiana, in 2003, I came across a letter to my great-grandfather, from a professor of the School of Agriculture, at the University of Illinois. In the letter the professor was inquiring about the usefulness of the round barn in it's structure. I'm not sure what my great-grandfather's response was for certain, but a few days after I found the letter, some visitors from Wisconsin stopped to admire the barn. We started talking & I shared what I had read in the letter, to which they responded they had just visited the University of Illinois & there are indeed two round barns located on their dairy campus. I couldn't help but feel proud & hopeful that the correspondence had resulted in something positive for the University of Illinois & the study of agriculture there.
We have been told that our round barn embodies the efforts to improve the efficiency & productivity of farm operations through innovative agricultural building design, during Indiana’s “Golden Age” of agriculture (1881-1920). From an architectural standpoint, it's been said that it is a highly intact example of the round barn type in Indiana.
The significant qualities & features of the barn are embodied in its location, design, materials & setting. The barn is a true circular barn, sixty-four feet in diameter, with a central driveway. It stands on concrete foundation & is built of wood frame construction clad with board & batten siding. The exterior features louvered vents, several small windows & solid doors. The two main doors open to a center driveway. The barn has space for livestock at the ground level, above which is a capacious hay loft, under a three pitch gambrel roof. A corn crib lines about a quarter of the outer wall. The barn stands alone in a pasture located at the southwest corner of State Road 57 & County Road West 450 South, in Daviess County.
The T. C. Singleton Round Barn was previously determined eligible under the National Register of Historic Places Multiple Property Documentation Listing, “Round and Polygonal Barns of Indiana,” submitted by Jerry McMahan, Graduate Assistant, Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, October 19, 1991.
An important part of Daviess County’s architectural heritage can be found in this true circular barn & over one hundred years later, the T. C. Singleton Round Barn functions remain the same as when it was built. Tom Singleton’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren continue the proud tradition of maintaining the barn in exceptional condition. The T. C. Singleton Round barn remains a strong family tradition & is one of Daviess County’s most outstanding agricultural structures.
There is one story in particular that many find fascinating about black boxes that were apparently found hidden in the barn, in 1927. In 1925, D. C. Stephenson, grand dragon of the Ku Klux Klan in Indiana, was tried & convicted of the kidnapping, rape & murder of Madge Oberholtzer, a state education official. While in prison in 1927, after failing to secure a pardon from Governor Edward L. Jackson, Stephenson vowed revenge by leaking documents to the Indianapolis News that identified numerous elected officials (both state & local) who were bankrolled by the KKK. Apparently, he said that the documents were hidden in two black boxes somewhere in Indiana & finally told reporters that they were secreted in Thomas Singleton's round barn.
Thomas Singleton had no knowledge of the black boxes (he had absolutely no klan connections whatsoever) & was as shocked as anyone when, in July 1927, Marion County's deputy prosecuting attorney, Emsley W. Johnson, Sr., met with Stephenson's longtime friend, Evansville businessman L.G. Julian, to recover the hidden black boxes from Singleton's barn.
By an amazing coincidence, Emsley Johnson, Sr., was a nephew (by marriage) of Thomas Singleton. Johnson knew first hand that Singleton was innocent of any involvement with the boxes. Stephenson probably arranged with L.G. Julian to have the boxes secured in a remote location that could easily be found when subsequently needed. The round barn's identification (visible from the road) & it's location along a prominent state highway (57), immediately south of a county seat (Washington, Daviess County) made it an ideal hiding place.
They say that the evidence discovered in Stephenson's two black boxes resulted in the prosecution & conviction of numerous KKK-affiliated elected officials & marked the collapse of the klan's political power in Indiana.
Another story of interest is that shortly after moving to Indiana, in 2003, I came across a letter to my great-grandfather, from a professor of the School of Agriculture, at the University of Illinois. In the letter the professor was inquiring about the usefulness of the round barn in it's structure. I'm not sure what my great-grandfather's response was for certain, but a few days after I found the letter, some visitors from Wisconsin stopped to admire the barn. We started talking & I shared what I had read in the letter, to which they responded they had just visited the University of Illinois & there are indeed two round barns located on their dairy campus. I couldn't help but feel proud & hopeful that the correspondence had resulted in something positive for the University of Illinois & the study of agriculture there.
Burcham Barn, Porter County
Barn was built circa 1900. Barn was used as a dairy barn. Barn was purchased by current owner in 1976, and was repainted and windows were replaced. All of the owners grandchildren have played in this barn and worked on tractors with their grandpa in it.
Barn was built circa 1900. Barn was used as a dairy barn. Barn was purchased by current owner in 1976, and was repainted and windows were replaced. All of the owners grandchildren have played in this barn and worked on tractors with their grandpa in it.
Feightner Barn, Noble County
This barn was built by my great grand father. The original barn was torn down as it was to small. The current barn was built was the large mortise and tenon beams in the bottom part and large dimensional lumber was used in the top part. The barn is open floor to ceiling in the main part as it was used to store loose hay. The blocks and tackle and ropes still hang in the barn and I have the hay hook.
This farm was awarded the Hoosier Homestead award in 2003. The barn was awarded a certificate commendation in 2008 by Successful Farming magazine for preservation of the barn. In 2014 the farm was awarded the prestigious John Arnold award for rural preservation by the Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau.
This barn was built by my great grand father. The original barn was torn down as it was to small. The current barn was built was the large mortise and tenon beams in the bottom part and large dimensional lumber was used in the top part. The barn is open floor to ceiling in the main part as it was used to store loose hay. The blocks and tackle and ropes still hang in the barn and I have the hay hook.
This farm was awarded the Hoosier Homestead award in 2003. The barn was awarded a certificate commendation in 2008 by Successful Farming magazine for preservation of the barn. In 2014 the farm was awarded the prestigious John Arnold award for rural preservation by the Indiana Landmarks and Indiana Farm Bureau.
Knigga Barn, Ohio County
Inspiration behind Restoration of the Haypress Barn
In 2003 I had been in search of a log house and ran across a fellow who knew of a haypress barn. Even though it didn’t spark much interest at the time, I decided to go ahead and take a look at it. All I could think was “Wow!” I took some pictures and I was definitely intrigued. When I showed the pictures to other people, it seemed as if they had never seen such a thing. This proved to me that not only was the structure unique in character, but was rare, which only made me even more interested.
The property was located on Pleasant Ridge in Ohio Co. about 10 minutes from our farm. A guy named Jack Wetterick from Ohio owned the 80 acre property where the barn was located. He owned the property for an investment and decided he wanted to sell the dilapidated barn because the barn sat on a ridge where potential development could eventually occur. Soon we negotiated a deal which included clean up of the site, and the barn was mine!
It took about 2 weeks to take down, including the stone foundation. I stored the barn for nearly 2 years before I had a reconstruction plan and exact location determined. Groundbreaking started in the fall of 2006 and was 90% finished by the spring of 2007. Working with Mother Nature through the winter months did not make the process any easier. Efficiency is a key component of mine in the business world, so not only is having the right tools and equipment a necessity but also a good plan of attack. The barn raising, from the footers to the gutters ended up taking approximately 30 days over a three month period of time. We all know that taking something apart is the easy part however putting it back together is a whole different story. Thorough documentation was taken by tagging every piece which consisted of over 200 tags. Along with the tags, pictures, videotaping and blueprinting was a must. Notes were made during documentation to determine what pieces needed to be replaced.
I am still continuing to add and tweek small details with the barn every time I am at the farm. Now I am working on a layout for a whole village that I plan to build some day. I am always looking and collecting props to add to the buildings to create as surreal environment as possible.
What is a Haypress Barn
The 1853 Haypress Barn was an endangered dilapidated barn on a parcel of investment property and was on the verge of becoming a complete loss. The Haypress barn is (1) of only (7) remaining and (1) of (2) that is operational and the only one in private hands. The objective was to restore the barn to as close to the original operating state as possible. There were some key components that were missing and had to be designed and manufactured. The 80 tons of foundation stone was salvaged and reused for the new foundation. Amish craftsman re-laid the foundation. New exterior lumber was required as the original was very poor condition. The skylight was added to allow natural light into the upper portions of the barn. The entire barn is hand hewn and the actual wood press system weighs approximately 9500 lbs. The press stands upright in the center of the barn extending from the basement to the peak of the roof. The press itself is constructed of 34ft long beams 22 inches wide by 10 inches thick. The horse, oxen or mule would be in the basement for providing the power for turning the large horizontal wheel, which in turn would hoist a wooden block into the upper reaches of the press by rope and pulley.
These presses had various operating characteristics. The methods to activate the hay chamber and release of the upper ram could be different from press to press. This press is different than others in the fact it has less iron components on the load and release sections of the press. These parts were missing from the press when it was dissembled and was part of the restoration process. There are no known drawings of these presses so some head scratching was required to figure out how this particular press operated.
Hay was an important cash crop for feeding the livestock in cities and urban areas. Producing hay was considered a commercial operation and each bale would weigh 300 to 400 lbs. The hay bales would then be taken to the river by freight wagon to be shipped up and down the Ohio River. The Haypress barn is intriguing and illustrates the ingenuity that farmers used to produce a Bale of Hay that could be transported to markets.
The interesting part of these Barns is the fact that a haymow was missing. Most had the open area to the left of the press from the earth floor to the ceiling. It is not known how they handled the bales for loading onto freight wagons. It could have been some form of Hay fork/ hook and powered by an animal of some sort. A display of different type Hay hooks hang from the ceiling. They were not part of this barn when it was dismantled.
This barn has Low doors to the rear of the second floor. It’s unclear the reason for such low doors.
How the Haypress Works
A hay press is a three story stationary hay baling mechanism called the Hewitt, Beater and Mormon Press. It was invented by Samuel Hewitt of Switzerland County in 1843 to be an improvement of other presses at the time. To operate the press, it took two or three attendants and an animal such as a mule. It took approximately 10 – 15 minutes to make each 300 lb bale. The bales were made to ship on the Ohio River to growing urban areas where local hay was unavailable.
At one time records show there were between 200 and 300 presses throughout Ohio and Switzerland Counties. To the best of my knowledge there are now only 6 remaining.
On the ground level, a mule is attached to the sweep at the bottom of the press. The mule is then led counter clockwise one revolution, which allows for a pulley to lift a 1000 lb wooden weight up to the 3rd floor level.
On the 2nd story, the attendants fork loose hay into the baling compartment where a counter weighted hinged door opens on the north side of the press. Once the compartment is filled with hay, the door is closed by counter weights. The attendant then pulls the trip lever, which allows the weight to drop back down to the baling compartment on the second floor and compresses the hay.
The process is repeated 6-7 times until a full bale is made. The jackscrew (which you can see from the ground floor) rotates , which pushes the baling compartment floor downwards when the mule is being led counter clockwise. Then the mule is led clockwise 6 times which allows the jackscrew to rotate and bring the bottom of the bale level with the 2nd floor again. One more clockwise rotation then finishes the compression of the bale.
On the second floor the doors to the baling compartment are opened and the attendant laces each bale with twine. The mule is then led counter clockwise again to raise the weight off of the bale. The attendant then uses hand held hay hooks to pull the bale out of the compartment. The door then closes and the process is started over to make bale number 2! Note: The side frames of this press are clear white oak. University studies indicate the trees were one hundred years old when cut to make the press.
Inspiration behind Restoration of the Haypress Barn
In 2003 I had been in search of a log house and ran across a fellow who knew of a haypress barn. Even though it didn’t spark much interest at the time, I decided to go ahead and take a look at it. All I could think was “Wow!” I took some pictures and I was definitely intrigued. When I showed the pictures to other people, it seemed as if they had never seen such a thing. This proved to me that not only was the structure unique in character, but was rare, which only made me even more interested.
The property was located on Pleasant Ridge in Ohio Co. about 10 minutes from our farm. A guy named Jack Wetterick from Ohio owned the 80 acre property where the barn was located. He owned the property for an investment and decided he wanted to sell the dilapidated barn because the barn sat on a ridge where potential development could eventually occur. Soon we negotiated a deal which included clean up of the site, and the barn was mine!
It took about 2 weeks to take down, including the stone foundation. I stored the barn for nearly 2 years before I had a reconstruction plan and exact location determined. Groundbreaking started in the fall of 2006 and was 90% finished by the spring of 2007. Working with Mother Nature through the winter months did not make the process any easier. Efficiency is a key component of mine in the business world, so not only is having the right tools and equipment a necessity but also a good plan of attack. The barn raising, from the footers to the gutters ended up taking approximately 30 days over a three month period of time. We all know that taking something apart is the easy part however putting it back together is a whole different story. Thorough documentation was taken by tagging every piece which consisted of over 200 tags. Along with the tags, pictures, videotaping and blueprinting was a must. Notes were made during documentation to determine what pieces needed to be replaced.
I am still continuing to add and tweek small details with the barn every time I am at the farm. Now I am working on a layout for a whole village that I plan to build some day. I am always looking and collecting props to add to the buildings to create as surreal environment as possible.
What is a Haypress Barn
The 1853 Haypress Barn was an endangered dilapidated barn on a parcel of investment property and was on the verge of becoming a complete loss. The Haypress barn is (1) of only (7) remaining and (1) of (2) that is operational and the only one in private hands. The objective was to restore the barn to as close to the original operating state as possible. There were some key components that were missing and had to be designed and manufactured. The 80 tons of foundation stone was salvaged and reused for the new foundation. Amish craftsman re-laid the foundation. New exterior lumber was required as the original was very poor condition. The skylight was added to allow natural light into the upper portions of the barn. The entire barn is hand hewn and the actual wood press system weighs approximately 9500 lbs. The press stands upright in the center of the barn extending from the basement to the peak of the roof. The press itself is constructed of 34ft long beams 22 inches wide by 10 inches thick. The horse, oxen or mule would be in the basement for providing the power for turning the large horizontal wheel, which in turn would hoist a wooden block into the upper reaches of the press by rope and pulley.
These presses had various operating characteristics. The methods to activate the hay chamber and release of the upper ram could be different from press to press. This press is different than others in the fact it has less iron components on the load and release sections of the press. These parts were missing from the press when it was dissembled and was part of the restoration process. There are no known drawings of these presses so some head scratching was required to figure out how this particular press operated.
Hay was an important cash crop for feeding the livestock in cities and urban areas. Producing hay was considered a commercial operation and each bale would weigh 300 to 400 lbs. The hay bales would then be taken to the river by freight wagon to be shipped up and down the Ohio River. The Haypress barn is intriguing and illustrates the ingenuity that farmers used to produce a Bale of Hay that could be transported to markets.
The interesting part of these Barns is the fact that a haymow was missing. Most had the open area to the left of the press from the earth floor to the ceiling. It is not known how they handled the bales for loading onto freight wagons. It could have been some form of Hay fork/ hook and powered by an animal of some sort. A display of different type Hay hooks hang from the ceiling. They were not part of this barn when it was dismantled.
This barn has Low doors to the rear of the second floor. It’s unclear the reason for such low doors.
How the Haypress Works
A hay press is a three story stationary hay baling mechanism called the Hewitt, Beater and Mormon Press. It was invented by Samuel Hewitt of Switzerland County in 1843 to be an improvement of other presses at the time. To operate the press, it took two or three attendants and an animal such as a mule. It took approximately 10 – 15 minutes to make each 300 lb bale. The bales were made to ship on the Ohio River to growing urban areas where local hay was unavailable.
At one time records show there were between 200 and 300 presses throughout Ohio and Switzerland Counties. To the best of my knowledge there are now only 6 remaining.
On the ground level, a mule is attached to the sweep at the bottom of the press. The mule is then led counter clockwise one revolution, which allows for a pulley to lift a 1000 lb wooden weight up to the 3rd floor level.
On the 2nd story, the attendants fork loose hay into the baling compartment where a counter weighted hinged door opens on the north side of the press. Once the compartment is filled with hay, the door is closed by counter weights. The attendant then pulls the trip lever, which allows the weight to drop back down to the baling compartment on the second floor and compresses the hay.
The process is repeated 6-7 times until a full bale is made. The jackscrew (which you can see from the ground floor) rotates , which pushes the baling compartment floor downwards when the mule is being led counter clockwise. Then the mule is led clockwise 6 times which allows the jackscrew to rotate and bring the bottom of the bale level with the 2nd floor again. One more clockwise rotation then finishes the compression of the bale.
On the second floor the doors to the baling compartment are opened and the attendant laces each bale with twine. The mule is then led counter clockwise again to raise the weight off of the bale. The attendant then uses hand held hay hooks to pull the bale out of the compartment. The door then closes and the process is started over to make bale number 2! Note: The side frames of this press are clear white oak. University studies indicate the trees were one hundred years old when cut to make the press.
Nedelkoff Barn, Floyd County
This beautiful barn has been an area landmark ever since it was built. It can clearly be seen perched on the Knobs in Floyd County as one drives West on I-64.
Besides having been used for commercial cattle operations from the 1940s through the late 1960s, the barn has been the home of horses, ponies, chickens, rabbits, barn cats, many litters of kittens, and even a long-lived donkey named Katie.
Every year for as long as Dr. Nedelkoff can recall, the large barn doors have been opened every April to welcome generations of Barn Swallows that migrate from their winter homes in Central America. Additionally, the barn has been the scene of rock concerts and school field trips. This barn is truly a Hoosier treasure that must be preserved for future generations of man and animal alike!
This beautiful barn has been an area landmark ever since it was built. It can clearly be seen perched on the Knobs in Floyd County as one drives West on I-64.
Besides having been used for commercial cattle operations from the 1940s through the late 1960s, the barn has been the home of horses, ponies, chickens, rabbits, barn cats, many litters of kittens, and even a long-lived donkey named Katie.
Every year for as long as Dr. Nedelkoff can recall, the large barn doors have been opened every April to welcome generations of Barn Swallows that migrate from their winter homes in Central America. Additionally, the barn has been the scene of rock concerts and school field trips. This barn is truly a Hoosier treasure that must be preserved for future generations of man and animal alike!
Sheets Barn, Howard County
The main barn at Heritage Farm was built in 1904 by a local barn builder named Otho Rodkey. The 40’ x 60’ barn is primarily constructed of 12 x 12 hand-hewn oak timbers that were recycled from an even older dismantled barn. Although I’ve often studied the timbers and joinery on the old barn, I only discovered a couple years ago that one of the massive timbers that support the rafters spans the entire 60’ length of the barn without a splice!
The barn serves as the center of our alpaca business. The relative open interior allows us to use temporary panels to divide off areas for alpacas that are grouped by age, gestational status and sex. We house up to 50 alpacas in the barn. One of the features that our alpacas really appreciate are the large wagon doors on the east and west sides of the barn which are opened in the summer allowing a cooling breeze to flow through the nave. The nave is the open center area of the barn between the wagon doors. We discovered that the area derives its name from the Latin word “navis”, meaning “ship” as in the English word “navy”. The reason for this is that when you stand in the nave and look upward to the underside of the barn roof, it looks like the interior of a wooden boat with its frames (roof rafters) and planks (roof purlin boards). The 16’ wide nave once was where wagon loads of harvested hay were pulled into the barn to be unloaded by the hay forks on the overhead trolley system. It now serves as a shearing “room” where we harvest the fleece from the alpacas each spring.
In 2003, we invested in a new roof. Again, we stayed away from many recommendations to cover it with steel and instead opted for an interlocking diamond-shaped, asphalt shingle. The shape of this shingle allows designs to be incorporated into the installation. We chose an Indiana roofer that has done many of the Art Roof barns around the Midwest. Tim designed the roof on diamond shaped graph paper and created a stylized suri alpaca using the diamond shaped shingles to give the impression of twisted suri locks. The other side of the roof is an "H" superimposed on top of an "F" for Heritage Farm. It was a lot of fun seeing how it turned out and needless to say, we have a one-of-a-kind roof!
The main barn at Heritage Farm was built in 1904 by a local barn builder named Otho Rodkey. The 40’ x 60’ barn is primarily constructed of 12 x 12 hand-hewn oak timbers that were recycled from an even older dismantled barn. Although I’ve often studied the timbers and joinery on the old barn, I only discovered a couple years ago that one of the massive timbers that support the rafters spans the entire 60’ length of the barn without a splice!
The barn serves as the center of our alpaca business. The relative open interior allows us to use temporary panels to divide off areas for alpacas that are grouped by age, gestational status and sex. We house up to 50 alpacas in the barn. One of the features that our alpacas really appreciate are the large wagon doors on the east and west sides of the barn which are opened in the summer allowing a cooling breeze to flow through the nave. The nave is the open center area of the barn between the wagon doors. We discovered that the area derives its name from the Latin word “navis”, meaning “ship” as in the English word “navy”. The reason for this is that when you stand in the nave and look upward to the underside of the barn roof, it looks like the interior of a wooden boat with its frames (roof rafters) and planks (roof purlin boards). The 16’ wide nave once was where wagon loads of harvested hay were pulled into the barn to be unloaded by the hay forks on the overhead trolley system. It now serves as a shearing “room” where we harvest the fleece from the alpacas each spring.
In 2003, we invested in a new roof. Again, we stayed away from many recommendations to cover it with steel and instead opted for an interlocking diamond-shaped, asphalt shingle. The shape of this shingle allows designs to be incorporated into the installation. We chose an Indiana roofer that has done many of the Art Roof barns around the Midwest. Tim designed the roof on diamond shaped graph paper and created a stylized suri alpaca using the diamond shaped shingles to give the impression of twisted suri locks. The other side of the roof is an "H" superimposed on top of an "F" for Heritage Farm. It was a lot of fun seeing how it turned out and needless to say, we have a one-of-a-kind roof!
Smoker Barn, LaPorte County
The barn has been in our family for 73 years. Four generations have raised cattle in the barn and have shown steers at local, state and national levels in 4-H & open competitions receiving multiple champions. The first of these competitions being the Chicago Stock Yards and the most recent, the Indiana State Fair. Our family has spent numerous hours working with cattle in and by the barn. It has been the focal point of many family pictures and will continue that tradition with the 5th generation that will join our family in July.
The barn has been in our family for 73 years. Four generations have raised cattle in the barn and have shown steers at local, state and national levels in 4-H & open competitions receiving multiple champions. The first of these competitions being the Chicago Stock Yards and the most recent, the Indiana State Fair. Our family has spent numerous hours working with cattle in and by the barn. It has been the focal point of many family pictures and will continue that tradition with the 5th generation that will join our family in July.
Rouch Barn, St. Joseph County
The round barn design was intended to maximize space, and reduce the work involved in feeding, milking, and cleaning in dairy operations. Since it was based on the technologies available a century ago, many of those attributes did not survive the test of time. The structure of the barn was self-supporting with a conical roof, and a center cupola, leaving a clear area for the interior.
The stanchions for the cows were arranged in a row toward the outside of the circular barn, with cows facing inward. Feed was provided from the center, and manure discharged to a trough to the rear of the animals, with a walkway behind the trough. With the animals facing inward, there was an increased amount of room for access during the milking operations. While early milking was probably by hand, later a vacuum system was installed to milk the cows and put the milk in stainless steel containers which were then carried across the an adjacent milkhouse. In the early days, cooling of the milk was in a concrete pit in the milkhouse, filled with well water, into which the milk cans were lowered. Later, a bulk tank provided this cooling. Milking was done twice a day, with typically 17 or 18 milk cows, always Guernseys for the higher milkfat content desired at the time.
A trolley on a rail system circled behind the cows, so that the manure could be scooped into a basket on the trolley. When full, the trolley was rolled around to a transfer point, where it could be rolled on a rail outside the barn, emptied into a spreader or a manure pile outside the barn.
Hay storage was on the second floor, so that hay could be dropped to the middle of the barn at ground level, and distributed to the cows. The process of filling the second level with hay involved bringing a loaded wagon into an entry area on the first level, with a winch used to lift a sling of hay, containing half a wagonload, to the second level. A rotating crane, centered in the middle of the barn, allowed a sling of hay to be rotated around and deposited in the hay mow. The winch was powered by horses or a tractor outside the barn, pulling a rope system connected to the lift.
A silo adjacent to the barn was used to store and preserve corn or hay silage, used for part of the feed for the cows. It was filled through a pipe blown to the top of the silo, using a blower system powered by tractor connected with a long belt drive through pulleys. In the early days, corn stalks were brought to the chopper-blower to be blown up a pipe into the silo. Later, the chopping was done in the field, and silage blown into the silo. Corn grain was used for supplemental feeding. Ear corn was harvested and stored in an adjacent granary, ground and stored in a feedbin in the middle of the barn.
Being in the barn after milking in the evening included the sound of cows munching and rustling of the bedding, occasionally mooing, perhaps with WLS country music on the radio. It was cozy in the winter because of the heat provided by the cows. In summer, cows were let out to graze except at milking time, but in really cold weather were often kept inside.
While not directly related to the milking operation, growing spearmint and peppermint for the oil was a common cash crop for our family and other relatives. Distilling of the oil was a big deal during mid-summer, and the fragrance of the oil filled the countryside. This was about the only time that the kids were provided cold pop cooled in the milkhouse. The rest of the farm acreage was devoted to corn and hay. It was a summertime challenge for boys to climb to the top of the silo, or the cupola of the barn, and survey the countryside from the 40 foot height.
The farm was initially run by our grandparents, and then by our parents Everett and Joy Rouch, who raised three children. Upon the parents’ death in 1980, ownership passed to Keith and Rebecca. Keith and his wife Judy, and Rebecca, began a process of restoring and maintaining the barn and house. The barn required a new roof, additional support for the leaning cupola. Around 2010, a new roof was required again, including replacement of sheathing as well. The cupola was rebuilt and resided. While the farm crop income provided some funds for this initial work, the farmhouse was initially restored through the efforts of Judy and Keith, and weekend and other rental proceeds used for barn and house restoration. The interior restoration included extensive faux finishing and other restoration efforts.
More recently Rebecca coordinated further stiffening of the structure, extensive repair of the siding, restoring the sliding doors to the original curved design, and repainting the barn, bringing it to its current renovated state.
The round barn design was intended to maximize space, and reduce the work involved in feeding, milking, and cleaning in dairy operations. Since it was based on the technologies available a century ago, many of those attributes did not survive the test of time. The structure of the barn was self-supporting with a conical roof, and a center cupola, leaving a clear area for the interior.
The stanchions for the cows were arranged in a row toward the outside of the circular barn, with cows facing inward. Feed was provided from the center, and manure discharged to a trough to the rear of the animals, with a walkway behind the trough. With the animals facing inward, there was an increased amount of room for access during the milking operations. While early milking was probably by hand, later a vacuum system was installed to milk the cows and put the milk in stainless steel containers which were then carried across the an adjacent milkhouse. In the early days, cooling of the milk was in a concrete pit in the milkhouse, filled with well water, into which the milk cans were lowered. Later, a bulk tank provided this cooling. Milking was done twice a day, with typically 17 or 18 milk cows, always Guernseys for the higher milkfat content desired at the time.
A trolley on a rail system circled behind the cows, so that the manure could be scooped into a basket on the trolley. When full, the trolley was rolled around to a transfer point, where it could be rolled on a rail outside the barn, emptied into a spreader or a manure pile outside the barn.
Hay storage was on the second floor, so that hay could be dropped to the middle of the barn at ground level, and distributed to the cows. The process of filling the second level with hay involved bringing a loaded wagon into an entry area on the first level, with a winch used to lift a sling of hay, containing half a wagonload, to the second level. A rotating crane, centered in the middle of the barn, allowed a sling of hay to be rotated around and deposited in the hay mow. The winch was powered by horses or a tractor outside the barn, pulling a rope system connected to the lift.
A silo adjacent to the barn was used to store and preserve corn or hay silage, used for part of the feed for the cows. It was filled through a pipe blown to the top of the silo, using a blower system powered by tractor connected with a long belt drive through pulleys. In the early days, corn stalks were brought to the chopper-blower to be blown up a pipe into the silo. Later, the chopping was done in the field, and silage blown into the silo. Corn grain was used for supplemental feeding. Ear corn was harvested and stored in an adjacent granary, ground and stored in a feedbin in the middle of the barn.
Being in the barn after milking in the evening included the sound of cows munching and rustling of the bedding, occasionally mooing, perhaps with WLS country music on the radio. It was cozy in the winter because of the heat provided by the cows. In summer, cows were let out to graze except at milking time, but in really cold weather were often kept inside.
While not directly related to the milking operation, growing spearmint and peppermint for the oil was a common cash crop for our family and other relatives. Distilling of the oil was a big deal during mid-summer, and the fragrance of the oil filled the countryside. This was about the only time that the kids were provided cold pop cooled in the milkhouse. The rest of the farm acreage was devoted to corn and hay. It was a summertime challenge for boys to climb to the top of the silo, or the cupola of the barn, and survey the countryside from the 40 foot height.
The farm was initially run by our grandparents, and then by our parents Everett and Joy Rouch, who raised three children. Upon the parents’ death in 1980, ownership passed to Keith and Rebecca. Keith and his wife Judy, and Rebecca, began a process of restoring and maintaining the barn and house. The barn required a new roof, additional support for the leaning cupola. Around 2010, a new roof was required again, including replacement of sheathing as well. The cupola was rebuilt and resided. While the farm crop income provided some funds for this initial work, the farmhouse was initially restored through the efforts of Judy and Keith, and weekend and other rental proceeds used for barn and house restoration. The interior restoration included extensive faux finishing and other restoration efforts.
More recently Rebecca coordinated further stiffening of the structure, extensive repair of the siding, restoring the sliding doors to the original curved design, and repainting the barn, bringing it to its current renovated state.
Wendel Barn, Franklin County
Christopher Whitehead came to Franklin County, Indiana, from England, in the early 1820’s. Soon after, he built this 34’ by 60’ brick barn. Local history, confirmed by documentation found at Purdue University, states that Whitehead was the first to import registered Strawberry Roan cattle. While Whitehead presumably housed cattle in the barn, its primary purpose was to serve as a distillery.
It was built with solid brick walls on three sides and wood on the south side. In the 1950’s, then owner, George Betscher, put a milking parlor with four stanchions in the east end of the lower level. Sometime in the 1960’s, the west end blew in during a bad storm. Before repairs were made, the east end blew out during another storm. In the 1970’s, Betscher repaired the ends by putting up a stud wall and veneering it with brick.
Christopher Whitehead came to Franklin County, Indiana, from England, in the early 1820’s. Soon after, he built this 34’ by 60’ brick barn. Local history, confirmed by documentation found at Purdue University, states that Whitehead was the first to import registered Strawberry Roan cattle. While Whitehead presumably housed cattle in the barn, its primary purpose was to serve as a distillery.
It was built with solid brick walls on three sides and wood on the south side. In the 1950’s, then owner, George Betscher, put a milking parlor with four stanchions in the east end of the lower level. Sometime in the 1960’s, the west end blew in during a bad storm. Before repairs were made, the east end blew out during another storm. In the 1970’s, Betscher repaired the ends by putting up a stud wall and veneering it with brick.
Honorable Mention Barns
Many wonderful barns were entered into the Bicentennial Barns of Indiana. We wished to acknowledge those which stood out for a special reason or represent something truly unique. Perhaps we found your story compelling, or maybe it was the effort you took to make your barn whole or keep it original. We applaud you and appreciate your stewardship. Hover on the photos below to see what category and county the barns are in!
