Pat Corey email me!
- Saturday, April 03, 1999 10:53:17 PM
I'm from the far reaches of southwestern New York and have
combined (evidently like several other contributors) a passion
for photography and stumbling around the countyside looking for
interesting barns. Our area is literally full of these dinosaurs,
both living and dead. The Amish keep the living ones breathing
and our dairy farms often keep a turn-of-the-century hay barn
along with pole barns and free stall barns for stock. I highly
recommend a coffee table book entitled "Barns of the
Genessee Country, 1790-1915" by Daniel Fink, it has no ISBN
number, but was published by James Brunner, Geneseo, New York.
You won't find it on Amazon.com though Barnes and Noble's used
book sellers show several copies around the country. Ask your
librarian to scratch around a find a copy for you. It's WELL
worth the effort. Terminology, techniques, tools, tips, history,
development, identification of styles,...boy, it's all there.
Thanks for a great web site and a good time scanning the notes.
Mary email
me! - Sunday, April 04, 1999 11:41:03 PM
Lauderdale Lakes, Wisconsin is an old farming area and the lot I
have now I was considering put a nice barn on it unfortunately I
had to put it on the market. If there are others who have put up
barns and would be willing to give me some ideas perhaps I can
take it off the market. The location is at:
http://www.enteract.com/~loki/lakes.htm Thanks. Mary
Jennifer Sullivan email me! -
Wednesday, April 07, 1999 11:44:59 AM
We are building a horse barn--48'long, 38' wide, with 12x12
stalls and a 14' center aisle. We are trying to find plans for a
gambrel roof truss/ floor truss combo for the second floor which
will support hay storage and maybe a living quarters. checked
with Home Depot, they said to do a one- piece truss would be
about $250 (per truss, 2' centered so we need 25), to do a
separate floor truss and three-piece gambrel truss would be
around $200, but they're not sure if their floor truss will hold
hay over a 14' open aisle. Any suggestions welcome!
jan stroud email
me! - Wednesday, April 07, 1999 04:39:56 PM
I teach an "ag" bldg class every july at the Indiana
Assessor's conference. Last year class attendees asked if I could
gather pictures and history on old barns. My class focuses on
pole type, but I need to expand on old ones. Can anyone help on
any partucular types????
Leroy Duchow email
me! - Wednesday, April 07, 1999 08:39:12 PM
About 2-3 months ago HGTV aired an episode showing a barn being
made into a house. Does anyone have the Episode #, or better yet
copied it to video tape? HGTV was not able to tell me for certain
that the spot would be repeated. L. Duchow, Washington State.
Carrie Nardecchia email me! - Sunday, April 11, 1999 10:33:52 PM
I recently have been bitten by the "Mail Pouch Barn" bug. I would be interested in sharing information about locations ect...I also have two limited edition prints available (pencil drawings). One barn is located in Cambria Co. Pennsylvania and has a 1934 John Deere tractor pictured the other is located at mile marker 83 off the PA turnpike. If anyone would like to see these barns please e-mail me.
Kolleen Taylor email me! - Monday, April 12, 1999 06:44:52 PM
I have just read through all the entries and don't know how to get specific with question. My dad just came in to tell me that the basement barn which is located on the farm he was raised on, has an east basement wall which is starting to collapse. This barn is at least 80 years old, and sits magnificently on a fairly steep hillside. He thinks the heavy rains lately have erroded the foundation under it. My dad is 79 years old and feeling overwhelmed with what to do and how much it would cost, but I cannot imagine losing the barn. The basement walls of the barn are concrete, not timber, and the barn is very large. Anyone tackle anything like this and share costs or type of people who would consider such a project. Thanks!
Don Drummond email me! - Monday, April 12, 1999 08:15:14 PM
We have a barn that covers more than an acre. It was built in three stages.The original barn was built in 1938 by my grandfather,it included a split level haymow,milking parlor,corn crib, entry way, and feeding area.
The hay mow will hold 100 ton of loose hay. A lean to was built on in 1941 with two silos bunks all the way around to feed cattle. In 1968 a feed room and a 150 ft. feed bunk was added. It is still a working barn with cattle and hogs being fed in it and extra room housing farm equipment. It is located in South Central Ohio near Clarksburg in Pickaway County. If anyone is interested in seeing it please stop by. The Paul Drummond residents. Please contact us by e-mail.
Bob and Sharon email me! - Tuesday, April 13, 1999 05:23:58 PM
We are just starting the process of converting a 26 by 40 foot gambrel
roof barn into a post and beam home. We are looking for house plans for
such a structure. If you can help, please do.
Barbara Locks email me! - Tuesday, April 13, 1999 08:46:51 PM
Hi! I was looking up some sites for my daughter's 5th grade project on colonial barns, and started to read your site. The question of "red barns" is a good one. While in Sweden visiting my father's cousins, we toured the Falun Copper Mine in Falun, north of Stockholm. It is from that mine and community that most of the paint from Sweden comes, because it is FULL of preservatives. Most of the barns there are yellow or red, red being the more popular of the two. Perhaps the Swedish immigrants brought the color with them?
Lois Roach email me! - Wednesday, April 21, 1999 03:50:30 AM
I am a member of a newly formed Barn Committee which is part of the San Lorenzo Preservationists Society (San Lorenzo,CA). A historic barn built (of old growth redwood) in the 1880's in our community was to be destroyed to make room for a housing development about to be built on an old farm. Our group managed to save the barn by having it carefully taken down, saving its lumber, and its structure was recorded on video during the process. We now are in the process of acquiring land for rebuilding the historic barn. My committee needs all the help and suggestions that we can get for reconstructing the barn, fund raising, ongoing funding, community uses, etc.,etc. I would love to hear from anyone or any organization that has suggestions for us. Also we need names and addresses of publications, organizations, etc. that could be of help to us. Thank you for any and all help that you can give us!
Tavi Mowery email me! - Wednesday, April 21, 1999 12:55:56 PM
My son is buying a 5040 sq. ft. barn in Knox county Ohio. We are new to "barns" and need help. The structure is divided into 2 floors. The bottom has a section that was used for milking cows and the rest is mud floors, but the upper barn is beautiful. It has curved rafters in an oak with 50 ft. high ceiling. He wants to turn it into a house, but heating and cooling are a big concern. Does anyone have any idea about this, especially cooling? Thanks for your help!!
Beth Gentry email me! - Thursday, April 22, 1999 12:08:57 PM
Hopefully someone here can help me find a list of "Barn Rules"...it is real cute it is setup for a horse barn. One of the lines reads "if it eats...feed it" etc. I have been looking for several years for this!!! Was glad to find this site. I just bought an old barn and had it moved to my horse pasture and I want to post these rules! Thanks for any help!
Beth
Beth Gentry email me! - Thursday, April 22, 1999 12:11:58 PM
Thought my email ad would be on my post.
I'm the one looking for barn rules!
bgentry@hal.calc.k12.la.us
Dan Drackett email me! - Friday, April 23, 1999 03:32:22 PM
We have purchased several vintage barns which will soon be relocated to Idaho and assembled as our "farmstead" residence. Our architect and contractor have the project completely organized, but we are searching for authentic hardware, like hinges, rollers and latches to add finishing touches. I got the recent Clem Labine TRADITIONAL BUILDING barn issue, which is really great, but we're still shopping for hardware. Is there a resource directory in the Internet somewhere? Thanks. Dan
Glenn Bork, Village of Lily Lake, IL email me! - Friday, April 23, 1999 07:38:43 PM
Looking for advice from anyone who has done adaptive restoration to a barn. In drawing plans to adapt our barn into a village hall the architect and I thought it made practical sense to keep the present 100 year old barn board in place and add similar board & batten over external sleepers to keep the internal historical appeal. This would preserve the interior look of the hay worn southern pine that contains the real charm and character we see as the real treasure. Problem lies with the Secretary of the Interiors Standards for Rehabilitation. In order to qualify for the National Historic Register we are told we must insulate and protect from the inside and simply repair and paint the exterior. I would welcome all advice as we approach the bid letting stage.
Steven Buchinger email me! - Saturday, April 24, 1999 05:33:45 PM
I am interested in finding out more information about the designs cut into the peaks of old barns in my part of the country. Many of the designs are crosses and sometimes they are found in groups of three. Please direct me to sources of information that could help me to explain the use of these designs. Are there any books written on the subject? Thanks.
email me! - Tuesday, April 27, 1999 03:26:02 PM
I really like this web page. This question has always puzzled me but now it is clear. Many people believe that learning about history has no purpose, but they are so wrong!! Don't you ever wonder about these things??!! After learning why barns are red, you look at barns with a new perspective. This page is great!!
Michael C. Creamer email me! - Wednesday, April 28, 1999 07:33:49 PM
Thank you for posting this barn web site. I have always loved looking at barns. My sister, her husband and their two children inhabit the family farm to this day. The old barn was build around the turn of the century and is still standing. It has been resided and roofed in over the past ten years. It was completely resided in original cedar logged from the adjacent cedar swamp as we refer to it. Keep up the good work. There is a lot of American heritage in these old barns.
Ken Holmes email me! - Monday, May 03, 1999 11:19:04 PM
Charles,
As I nose around your wonderful site, I'm 10 years old all over again -- sneaking out to the barn with siblings and cousins on a Sunday afternoon visit to my grandfather's farm in South Gardiner, Maine. My grandfather was in his 80s by the time I knew him. His barn wasn't that young. It was a wonderful, mysterious, rambling place with places to play, places to hide and, of course, plenty of old farm tools to wonder at. It's been more than 30 years since I've been in the place -- but somehow your web site makes it seem like yesterday. Nice work!
Sandi Maas email me! - Wednesday, May 12, 1999 11:24:00 AM
We are having trivia questions at our hospital this week and the book has the question "Why are Barns Red?" Their answer: In the early 1900's farmers began painting their barns red because they discovered that red absorbs more light, which helped keep the barn warm. Lots of people must have looked up your web site because they are disputing my answer. Is your information factual or just your best guestimate based on your knowledge. Thanks for answering.
Bill Oliver email me! - Sunday, May 23, 1999 09:22:34 PM
If anyone has pictures or plans of an "old West" type barn as always appeared in the cowboy movies of the 1950's, I'd very much like to hear from you. I was able to salvage material from neighbor's 1800's barn and want to rebuild that great barn as seen in the movies where the fight always took place under the horses hoofs or a little loving took place on the 2nd floor hay.
Tom Brown email me! - Monday, May 24, 1999 10:51:25 PM
I am a barn builder in colorado. Any one requesting information on Barns I am sure I can help. If you would rather talk instead of e mail my phone # is 719 495-0510. The information is free. We just like Barns I have buillt over 200. Thanks ,Tom
Darla email me! - Monday, May 31, 1999 11:25:43 AM
I have a FASINATION with BARN WOOD, I have converted the inside of my ranch home, here in Kansas, with 6" barn wood baseboards, barn wood outlet covers, a barnwood corner computer desk, I even made my bedroom look like the inside of a log home with old barn wood and morter. (all my barn wood I have collect myself from barns around here that are either falling down or that are going to be torn down) All of these projects I have done myself with old BARN WOOD!
John McDermott email me! - Monday, May 31, 1999 11:33:04 PM
Thank you for this terrific website. I recently spent some time in the NJ/PA area and fell in love with bow roof barns. Is there anyone building this type of structure nowadays? I am interested in this design for a new home. Thanks for your help
Doug Keesling email me! - Wednesday, June 02, 1999 05:29:55 PM
My Great Grandfather built a round barn in 1908, which is still standing but soon will be in need of a new roof and other work or it will eventually fall to the ground like many others. I want to restore this barn and preserve it like it should be. Can anyone give me any ideas of fundraising, etc. A new roof alone would probably cost at least $20,000.
I would greatly appreciate hearing from anyone who has been active in preservation and restoration of an old barn. Thank you , Doug Keesling
Todd Pugh email me! - Tuesday, June 08, 1999 11:24:45 PM
I am in the beginning stages of my first barn relocation and restoration. It is a 60' diameter octagon structure. Does anyone have any photos of octagon barns and does anyone have any experience moving a structure like this. I also am looking for ways to fund this project. Has anyone had any luck with fund raisers or government grants. I am going to need approx. $100,000.00 to complete the project. Any information that I receive will be greatly appreciated.
mike carney email me! - Wednesday, June 09, 1999 04:59:42 PM
My wife and I are seriously contemplating building a round barn on our farm, but have no idea where to turn to obtain plans,etc. Can anyone help? Thank you, Mike
dave goodson email me! - Wednesday, June 09, 1999 11:00:18 PM
In case any of you barn fanatics are in Western Washington you should drive by my family's barn on the Hart's Lake Loop Rd in Roy, Washington. The exact address is 35403 8th Ave S. Roy, Wa. It is at the corner of Highway 702 and 8th Ave S. (the loop Rd). It is 1930's era working dairy barn in use as such up until the 1970's and then used for horses which is what we still use it for. The guy who owned it before us made an addition but it really does not detract from the overall structure. My folks reroofed it with cedar in 1980 and is in need of another reroof but does not leak. They also did an extensive restoration of all entire structure and it is in great shape except for the paint. If anyone can give me information on how to get it listed as a historic site I would appreciate it. I think it is one of the only true barn's left in Western Washington and certainly the best condition. The construction is amazing and was restored by local craftsmen, not just nail pounders. If you are interested please send me an email first so I can meet you there and warn my folks so they don't get taken by suprise. Also, there is a regular family of owls living in the loft!
Suzi Deurloo email me! - Thursday, June 10, 1999 12:21:38 AM
Being an Arizona girl, my idea of a barn was the ranch type. I fell in love with farm barns on my honeymoon and now have the acreage in Michigan to put one on. My husband and I think this page is great as we hope to use recycled barn lumber or buy a barn being destroyed. For us, the "story" behind the barn is the best part. You guys growing up with barns are ssooooo lucky!
Dean West email me! - Friday, June 11, 1999 03:33:40 PM
I was sitting at work at lunch today sketching out some ideas of barns and thought I'd look on the internet to see what's there. Wow, I found this site and just love it. I was born in Kansas but have lived in California and have for most of my life. In a few years I'm planing to retire and move to a place with some acerage that I can build a barn or restore one. When I go and visit my folks in Kansas it is sad to see all those wonderfull old barns in such a state of disrepair. Maybe in about 7 years I can add pictures and a great barn restoration story to this website.
Nancy Avolese email me! - Tuesday, June 15, 1999 03:33:48 PM
Can anyone help me. I am trying to locate "MailPouch" painted barns in the state of Pennsylvania.
Any information would be appreciated.
Bob Becker email me! - Thursday, June 17, 1999 08:44:29 PM
My late 18th century Pennsylvania barn floor framing has a whitewash (limestone?) coating throughout the basement. Does anyone out there in barn land know exactly what it is? The wood is perfectly preserved. My guess is that the alkali environment is inhospitable to bugs. Any advise or formula on re-coating? or other info would be appreciated.
Iris Heckman email me! - Sunday, June 20, 1999 11:04:37 PM
We have located a barn that the owners want to have removed. It is over 100 years old and is about 60 x 80 feet with a beautiful stone foundation. Parts of it are falling in. We do not have any experience in taking down a barn. We want to salvage as much as we can to use the materials to build our new home. Does anyone have suggestions or sources for information? Do we just pull it down? It seems dangerous to try to start at the top and dismantle it. Help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
William Green email me! - Wednesday, June 23, 1999 02:51:23 PM
I am in the process of designing a barn to be located in upstate New York. The barn will house two living spaces and a separate studio. My desire is to build the structure using traditional materials and methods. While I intend the structure to be post and beam over a field stone foundation, I am interested in any thoughts and/or suggestions regarding the re-use of antique post and beams, re-configured to meet my specifications compared to creating the structure using new structural members. Thank you!
Lori Kimbel email me! - Wednesday, June 30, 1999 11:11:59 AM
Like all of you here, I love barns. I can't pass by one without taking a picture. My entire front room is decorated with barns. If anyone has any pictures that they would like to part with, let me know. Talk with you soon. Lori Kimbel 451 NE 5 1/2 Street Prineville, OR 97754
Vassar email me! - Friday, July 02, 1999 01:22:31 AM
Like the others...GREAT WEBSITE...My question...Are you familiar with any Bread..I mean Bed & Breakfast type places in a barn...in any area?? I think there is one in the Gatlinburg, Tenn. area but, not sure..Would love to find some..Imagine a night in a BIG BARN!!!smile