MONTANA
CARBON COUNTY
“Versatile”
This history of this round barn spans the age of circular barns, beginning with the Shakers in Massachusetts in 1826 and continuing to this one, built just before WWII, in Carbon County, located southwest of Billings. The county was created in 1895 from portions of Park and Yellowstone counties and, nestled among the Beartooth and Pryor Mountains and the Big Horn River to the east, it was named after abundant amounts of coal. Ironically the county was home to the state’s first oil well.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
This history of this round barn spans the age of circular barns, beginning with the Shakers in Massachusetts in 1826 and continuing to this one, built just before WWII, in Carbon County, located southwest of Billings. The county was created in 1895 from portions of Park and Yellowstone counties and, nestled among the Beartooth and Pryor Mountains and the Big Horn River to the east, it was named after abundant amounts of coal. Ironically the county was home to the state’s first oil well.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
CHOUTEAU COUNTY
“Bootlegger Trail”
This circular barn collapsed a few years ago and, with its passing, a bit of the Wild West disappeared, too. A large barn, with an imposing arched false-front wall over the entrance, it conjured up images of storefronts in frontier towns, gunslingers, sheriffs, and weary cowboys – in town for a cold drink after a long day’s work on the range. Fittingly, it was located on state route 225, appropriately called Bootlegger Trail, which stretches from Great Falls and through Chouteau County, ending in Canada.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
This circular barn collapsed a few years ago and, with its passing, a bit of the Wild West disappeared, too. A large barn, with an imposing arched false-front wall over the entrance, it conjured up images of storefronts in frontier towns, gunslingers, sheriffs, and weary cowboys – in town for a cold drink after a long day’s work on the range. Fittingly, it was located on state route 225, appropriately called Bootlegger Trail, which stretches from Great Falls and through Chouteau County, ending in Canada.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
NEBRASKA
KEARNEY COUNTY
“The Sodbusters”
This rare set of two round barns, now gone, was located within a few miles of Ft. Kearney, the first fort built – 1848 – to protect travelers on the Oregon-California Trail. Wagon trains, full of immigrants seeking a new start, drove their mules and oxen along this trail as did opportunistic prospectors, bound for California gold fields. And, this was Indian territory, home to the nomadic tribes of the Pawnee, Omaha, Lakota, and Cheyenne, who migrated with the herds of buffalo. Their grip on the Great Plains was slipping away as settlers arrived, hardy enough to survive winters on these vast treeless expanses of prairie, and laid down roots, often building sod houses if timber wasn’t available. These were the sodbusters. CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
This rare set of two round barns, now gone, was located within a few miles of Ft. Kearney, the first fort built – 1848 – to protect travelers on the Oregon-California Trail. Wagon trains, full of immigrants seeking a new start, drove their mules and oxen along this trail as did opportunistic prospectors, bound for California gold fields. And, this was Indian territory, home to the nomadic tribes of the Pawnee, Omaha, Lakota, and Cheyenne, who migrated with the herds of buffalo. Their grip on the Great Plains was slipping away as settlers arrived, hardy enough to survive winters on these vast treeless expanses of prairie, and laid down roots, often building sod houses if timber wasn’t available. These were the sodbusters. CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
NUCKOLLS COUNTY
"A Mail Order Bride"
This is a rare example of a pre-cut round barn kit. Fascinating story is coming ...
This is a rare example of a pre-cut round barn kit. Fascinating story is coming ...
NEW HAMPSHIRE
GRAFTON COUNTY
“The Round Barn Shoppe”
It’s not often that a round barn inspires an entrepreneur sufficiently to build a replica of it, one with three levels, including an octagonal cupola with decorative weathervane, an elaborate clerestory, metal roofs, matching burgundy siding, and a main floor with ample windows. The Round Barn Shoppe, located directly across from this old 16-sided barn, is still listed in the pages of whitemountainbiz.com, though it is no longer open. The owners advertised products such as New England crafts and gifts, cheese, jellies and jams, homemade fudge, mums, and smoked products and they represented over 300 New England craftspeople. This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
It’s not often that a round barn inspires an entrepreneur sufficiently to build a replica of it, one with three levels, including an octagonal cupola with decorative weathervane, an elaborate clerestory, metal roofs, matching burgundy siding, and a main floor with ample windows. The Round Barn Shoppe, located directly across from this old 16-sided barn, is still listed in the pages of whitemountainbiz.com, though it is no longer open. The owners advertised products such as New England crafts and gifts, cheese, jellies and jams, homemade fudge, mums, and smoked products and they represented over 300 New England craftspeople. This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
NEW JERSEY
BURLINGTON COUNTY
“Cherry and Black”
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
NEW MEXICO
TAOS COUNTY
“A Natural Curiosity”
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
NEW YORK
GREENE COUNTY
“A Bronx Barn”
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
(ESSAY COMING SOON)
OTSEGO COUNTY
“The Baker Barn”
This county has history and color to its credit, dating to its formation in 1791 and its name, taken from a Mohawk or Oneida word meaning “place of the rock,” which fits, considering the attractive fieldstone foundation of this barn and an adjacent building. What’s more interesting is the county seat of Cooperstown, well known for its Baseball Hall of Fame but lesser known for its founder, Judge William Cooper, father of author James Fenimore Cooper. Not only did young James serve his country in the early 1800s as a naval officer, he also captured rustic American history with his characters Chief Chingachgook and his friend and frontiersman Natty Bumppo in his series, The Leatherstocking Tales, which include The Last of the Mohicans and The Deerslayer, his last novel. In the 1700s this was indeed the land of the Mohicans, the Iroquois, the Seneca, and the Oneida Indian tribes. A time of adventure. CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
This county has history and color to its credit, dating to its formation in 1791 and its name, taken from a Mohawk or Oneida word meaning “place of the rock,” which fits, considering the attractive fieldstone foundation of this barn and an adjacent building. What’s more interesting is the county seat of Cooperstown, well known for its Baseball Hall of Fame but lesser known for its founder, Judge William Cooper, father of author James Fenimore Cooper. Not only did young James serve his country in the early 1800s as a naval officer, he also captured rustic American history with his characters Chief Chingachgook and his friend and frontiersman Natty Bumppo in his series, The Leatherstocking Tales, which include The Last of the Mohicans and The Deerslayer, his last novel. In the 1700s this was indeed the land of the Mohicans, the Iroquois, the Seneca, and the Oneida Indian tribes. A time of adventure. CLICK HERE FOR THE REST OF THE STORY
WAYNE COUNTY
“Hale’s Heritage”
Cobblestones, though a problem for farmers in clearing fields and growing crops, were plentiful in the early days of colonization of the region beneath Lake Ontario. Glacial deposits left behind these smooth stones, rounds and ovals, some no larger than a fist which, in the hands of a skilled stonemason, adorned the walls of barns and houses, many of which still stand today. Like premium paint in the hands of an artist, cobblestones allowed each mason to use creativity and they decorated buildings, setting them apart from traditional wood, brick, or stone.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
Cobblestones, though a problem for farmers in clearing fields and growing crops, were plentiful in the early days of colonization of the region beneath Lake Ontario. Glacial deposits left behind these smooth stones, rounds and ovals, some no larger than a fist which, in the hands of a skilled stonemason, adorned the walls of barns and houses, many of which still stand today. Like premium paint in the hands of an artist, cobblestones allowed each mason to use creativity and they decorated buildings, setting them apart from traditional wood, brick, or stone.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
NORTH CAROLINA
LINCOLN COUNTY
“The Commissioners”
The history of this 16-sided barn began with the family patriarch, Joseph Graham, born in 1759 to Scots-Irish parents in Chester County, Pennsylvania. After his father died, his mother moved the family to North Carolina, where they became farmers and ironmongers – those artisans who fashioned implements by forging iron. During the American Revolution, Joseph served as a captain in 1781, at the age of 22, and was promoted to major a year later. After the war he returned to farming.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.
The history of this 16-sided barn began with the family patriarch, Joseph Graham, born in 1759 to Scots-Irish parents in Chester County, Pennsylvania. After his father died, his mother moved the family to North Carolina, where they became farmers and ironmongers – those artisans who fashioned implements by forging iron. During the American Revolution, Joseph served as a captain in 1781, at the age of 22, and was promoted to major a year later. After the war he returned to farming.
This fascinating essay will be posted eventually.