PRESERVATION 

BRIEFS 

The Preservation of Historic Barns 

Michael J. Auer 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

National Park Service 

Cultural Resources 

Heritage Preservation Services 

From the days when Thomas Jefferson envisioned the 

new republic as a nation dependent on citizen-farmers 

for its stability and its freedom, the family farm has 

been a vital image in the American consciousness. As 

the main structures of farms, barns evoke a sense of 

tradition and security, of closeness to the land and 

community with the people who built them. Even today the rural barn raising presents a forceful image of 

community spirit. Just as many farmers built their 

barns before they built their houses, so too many farm 

families look to their old barns as links with their past. 

Old barns, furthermore, are often community landmarks and make the past present. Such buildings embody ethnic traditions and local customs; they reflect 

changing farming practices and advances in building 

technology. In the imagination they represent a whole 

way of life (Fig. 1). 

Unfortunately, historic barns are threatened by many 

factors. On farmland near cities, barns are often seen 

only in decay, as land is removed from active agricultural use. In some regions, barns are dismantled for 

lumber, their beams sold for reuse in living rooms. 

Barn raisings have given way to barn razings. Further 

threats to historic barns and other farm structures are 

posed by changes in farm technology, involving much 

larger machines and production facilities, and changes 

in the overall farm economy, including increasing farm 

size and declining rural populations.! 

Yet historic barns can be refitted for continued use in 

agriculture, often at great savings over the cost of new 

buildings. This Brief encourages the preservation of 

historic barns and other agricultural structures by encouraging their maintenance and use as agricultural 

buildings, and by advancing their sensitive rehabilitation for new uses when their historic use is no longer 

feasible . 

Fig. 1. Arch roof, native limestone walls two feet thick at the base, porthole window, dormers, silos, rooftop ventilators, weathervanes, windmill, 

fences, fields, and family pride in the builder are all components of the historic cha racter of this Iowa barn. Photo: John Waiter, Successful Farming. 
2 

Historic Barn Types 

Dutch Barns 

The first great barns built in this country were those of 

the Dutch settlers of the Hudson, Mohawk, and Schoharie valleys in New York State and scattered sections 

of New Jersey.2 On the exterior, the most notable feature of the Dutch barn is the broad gable roof, which in 

early examples (now extremely rare), extended very 

low to the ground. On the narrow end the Dutch barn 

features center doors for wagons and a door to the 

stock aisles on one or both of the side ends. A pent 

roof (or pentice) over the center doors gave some slight 

protection from the elements. The siding is typically 

horizontal, the detailing simple. Few openings other 

than doors and traditional holes for martins puncture 

the external walls. 3 The appearance is of massiveness 

and simplicity, with the result that Dutch barns seem 

larger than they actually are. 

To many observers the heavy interior structural system 

is the most distinctive aspect of the Dutch barn. Mortised, tenoned and pegged beams are arranged in 

"H" -shaped units that recall church interiors, with 

columned aisles alongside a central space (here used 

for threshing). This interior arrangement, more than 

any other characteristic, links the Dutch barn with its 

Old World forebears. The ends of cross beams projecting through the columns are often rounded to form 

"tongues;' a distinctive feature found only in the Dutch 

barn. 

Bank Barns 

The bank barn gets its name from a simple but clever 

construction technique: the barn is built into the side of 

a hill, thus permitting two levels to be entered from the 

ground. The lower level housed animals, the upper 

The gently sloping roadbed in this photograph shows the "bank" 

from which bank barns get their name. Massive timbers stretching 

across the full width of the barn create the overhang that also 

characterizes these barns. In barns with brick end walls, patterns 

were sometimes created by leaving spaces between bricks. The device 

furnishes ventilation as well as decoration. Photo: Jack E. Boucher, 

HABS. 

Relatively few Dutch barns survive. Most of these date 

from the late 18th century. Fewer yet survive in good 

condition, and almost none unaltered. Yet the remaining examples of this barn type still impress with the 

functional simplicity of their design and the evident 

pride the builders took in their work. 

Built in the late 1700s, this New York Dutch barn survives in 

excellent condition. Gable roof, center wagon doors with pent roof, 

stock door at the comer and horizontal clapboarding are all typical 

features of the Dutch barn. Three holes for martins, traditional 

features of Dutch barns, can be seen near the top of the facade (they 

have been plugged and are lighter than the surrounding 

clapboards). Photo: Clarke Blair. 

levels served as threshing floor and storage. The hillside entrance gave easy access to wagons bearing 

wheat or hay. (Fodder could also be dropped through 

openings in the floor to the stabling floor below.) The 

general form of the bank barn remained the same 

whether it was built into a hillside or not. Where a hill 

was lacking, a "bank" was often created by building up 

an earthen ramp to the second level. 

Bank barns were ordinarily constructed with their long 

side, or axis, parallel to the hill, and on the south side 

of it. This placement gave animals a sunny spot in 

which to gather during the winter. To take further advantage of the protection its location afforded, the second floor was extended, or cantilevered, over the first. 

The overhang sheltered animals from inclement 

weather. The extended forebay thus created is one of 

the most characteristic features of these barns. In some 

bank barns, the projecting beams were not large 

enough to bear the entire weight of the barn above . In 

these cases, columns or posts were added beneath the 

overhang for structural support. 

In the earliest examples of bank barns narrow-end side 

walls are frequently stone or brick, with openings for 

ventilation. (Since "curing" green hay can generate 

enough heat to start a fire through spontaneous combustion, adequate ventilation in barns is vital.) 
Crib Barns 

This late-nineteenth century crib barn is located in eastern 

Ten nessee, in what is now the Great Smoky Mo untains National 

Park. The central driveway between the cribs allowed a team and 

wagon to drive through after unloading. The materials and details 

are typical of the region. They include, on the exterior: hand-hewn 

saddle notched logs on the lower, crib portion; boa rd framing on the 

upper, loft area; wood shingle roof. The interior fea rures wood 

hinges on the crib doors and earth floor. Photo: Robert Madden . 

Round Barns 

George Washington owned a round barn. And in 1826 

the Shaker community at Hancock, Massachusetts, 

built a round barn that attracted considerable publicity. 

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Despite these early examples, however, round barns 

were not built in numbers until the 1880s, when agricultural colleges and experiment stations taught 

progressive farming methods based on models of industrial efficiency. From this time until well into the 

1920s, round barns appeared on farms throughout the 

country, flourishing especially in the Midwest.

s 

Round barns were promoted for a number of reasons. 

The circular form has a greater volume-to-surface ratio 

than the rectangular or square form. For any given size, 

therefore, a circular building will use fewer materials 

than other shapes, thus saving on material costs. Such 

barns also offer greater structural stability than rectangular barns. And because they can be built with selfsupporting roofs, their interiors can remain free of 

structural supporting elements, thereby providing vast 

storage capabilities. The circular interior layout was 

also seen as more efficient, since the farmer could work 

in a continuous direction. 

In general, multi-sided barns-frequently of 12 or 16 

sides-are earlier than "true round" barns. Earlier examples also tend to be wood sided, while later ones 

tend to be brick or glazed tile . Interior layouts also underwent an evolution. Early round barns placed cattle 

stanchions on the first floor, with the full volume of the 

floor above used for hay storage. In later barns, the 

central space rose from the ground floor through the 

entire building. Cattle stanchions arranged around a 

circular manger occupied the lower level; the circular 

Crib barns form another barn type significant in American agriculture. Found throughout the South and 

Southeast, crib barns are especially numerous in the 

Appalachian and Ozark Mountain States of North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Arkansas. 

Composed simply of one, two, four or sometimes six 

cribs that served as storage for fodder or pens for cattle 

or pigs, crib barns mayor may not have a hayloft 

above. Crib barns were typically built of unchinked 

logs, although they were sometimes covered with vertical wood siding. Unaltered examples of early crib barns 

normally have roofs of undressed wood shingles. In 

time, shingle roofs were usually replaced with tin or 

asphalt. The rustic appearance of crib barns is one of 

their most striking features. 

The cribs sometimes face a covered gallery or aisle running across the front. In another arrangement, the cribs 

are separated by a central driveway running through 

the building. This latter arrangement defines the double 

crib barn. 

In double crib barns the second story hayloft is sometimes cantilevered over the ground floor, resulting in a 

barn of striking appearance. 

wagon drive on the level above permitted hay to be 

unloaded into the central mow as the wagon drove 

around the perimeter. In the last stage of round barn 

development, a center silo was added when silos became regular features on the farm (in the last decades 

of the nineteenth century). In some cases, the silo projected through the roof. 

The claims for the efficiency of the round barn were 

overstated, and it never became the standard barn, as 

its proponents had hoped. Nevertheless, a great number were built, and many remain today the most distinctive farm structures in the communities in which 

they stand. 

Circular barns are found throughout the countnj, but are especially 

numerous in the Midwest. This 1911 Illinois round barn is 60 feet 

in diameter. The cupola atop the hipped roof is 60 feet above ground. 

Its 10 single and 5 double stalls on the ground floor were fed from a 

loft. The square windows spaced at regular intervals around the 

perimeter add a note of simple contrast to the overall circular motif. 

Photo: Keith A. Sculle, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. 

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4 

Prairie Barns 

A peak roof projecting above a hayloft opening is one 

of the most familiar images associated with barns. The 

feature belongs to the prairie barn, also known as the 

Western barn. The larger herds associated with agriculture in the West and Southwest required great storage 

space for hay and feed. Accordingly, prairie barns are 

on average much larger than the other barns discussed 

in this brief. 6 Long, sweeping roofs, sometimes coming 

near the ground, mark the prairie barn; the extended 

roof created great storage space. (Late in the nineteenth 

century, the adoption of the gambrel roof enlarged the 

storage capacity of the haymow even more.) 

Affinities of this barn type with the Dutch barn are 

striking: the long, low roof lines, the door in the gable 

end, and the internal arrangement of stalls in aisles on 

either side of the central space are all in the tradition of 

the Dutch barn. 

Others 

The barn types discussed here are only some of the 

barns that have figured in the history of American agriculture. As with Dutch barns, some reflect the traditions of the people who built them: Finnish log barns 

in Idaho, Czech and German-Russian house barns in 

South Dakota, and "three-bay" English barns in the 

northeast. Some, like the New England connected 

barn, stem from regional or local building traditions. 

Others reflect the availability of local building materials: lava rock (basalt) in south-central Idaho, logs in the 

southeast, adobe in California and the southwest. Others are best characterized by the specialized uses to 

which they were put: dairy barns in the upper midwest, tobacco barns in the east and southeast, hopdrying barns in the northwest, and rice barns in South 

Carolina. Other historic barns were built to patterns 

developed and popularized by land-grant universities, 

or sold by Sears, Roebuck and Company and other 

mail-order firms. And others fit no category at all: 

these barns attest to the owner's tastes, wealth, or unorthodox ideas about agriculture. All of these barns are 

also part of the heritage of historic barns found 

throughout the country. 

Panels on this 1900 Kentucky tobacco barn open to aid in the 

curing process. Photo; Christine Amos, Kentucky Heritage Council. 

The long, sweeping roof is a characteristic of the Prairie or Western 

barn. The projecting peak over the hayloft is another. This Iowa 

barn was built about 1910. Photo; Mary Humstone. 

III the early 20th century barn patterns lUere developed by 

agricultural schools and prefabricated units lUere sold by 

mail-order firms. This Maryland barn was bought about 1920 

from a Sears catalogue. Photo; Robert f. Hughes 

The two ventilating towers are the character-defining aspect of 

this Oregon hop-drying barn. Photo; Allan Nelson. 
Preservation of Historic Barns 

Understanding Barns and Their History 

Historic barns are preserved for a number of reasons. 

Some are so well built that they remain useful even 

after a hundred years or more. Many others are intimately connected with the families who built them and 

the surrounding communities. Others reflect developments in agricultural science or regional building types. 

Before restoring a historic barn or rehabilitating it for a 

new use, an owner should study the building thoroughly. This process involves finding out when the 

barn was built, who built it, and why. It means understanding how the building was changed through the 

years. It means assessing the condition of the barn, 

and understanding its components. This process has as 

its end an appreciation of the building's historic character, that is, the sense of time and place associated with 

it. It is this physical presence of the past that gives 

historic buildings their significance. 

To assess the historic character of a barn, an owner 

should study old photographs, family records, deeds, 

insurance papers, and other documents that might 

reveal the building's appearance and history. Neighbors 

and former owners are often important sources of inform~tion. Local libraries, historical societies and preservation organizations are additional sources of help. 

As part of this overall evaluation, the following elements should be assessed for their contributions to the 

property. They are the principal tangible aspects of a 

barn's historic character, and should be respected in 

any work done on it. 

Setting. Setting is one of the primary factors contributing to the historic character of a barn (see Fig. 2). 

Farmers built barns in order to help them work the 

land; barns belong on farms, where they can be seen in 

relation to the surrounding fields and other structures 

Fig. 2. Mountains, fields, fences, sheds, trees: The setting of this 

enormous Montana barn is an important element of its character. 

The barn was built in 1887-1889 after disastrous livestock losses in 

the winter of 1886-1887. It could hold 500 cattle and store a 

quarter-million cubic feet of hay. Photo: John N. DeHaas, Jr., 

Montana Historical Society. 

in the farm complex. A barn crowded by suburbs is not 

a barn in the same sense as is a barn clustered with 

other farm buildings, or standing alone against a backdrop of cornfields. Hence, the preservation of barns 

should not be divorced from the preservation of the 

setting: farms and farmland, ranches and range, orchards, ponds, fields, streams and country roads. 

Other important elements of setting include fences, 

stone walls, roads, paths, barnyards, corrals, and ancillary structures such as windmills and silos. (Silos, indeed, have become so closely associated with barns as 

nearly to have lost their "separate" identities.) These 

features help place the building in the larger agricultural context, relating it to its purpose in the overall 

rural setting. 

Fonn. The shape of barns, as with other buildings, is of 

great importance in conveying their character. (For 

round barns, the shape is the defining feature of the 

type.) Often the form of a barn is visible from a distance. Often, too, more than one side can be seen at 

the same time, and from several different approaches. 

As a general rule, the rear and sides of a barn are not 

as differentiated from the front, or as subordinated to 

it, as in other buildings. 

The roof is among the most important elements of 

building form. Barns are no exception. The gable roof 

on Dutch and Prairie barns, the cone-shaped, domeshaped, eight- or twelve-sided roof of round barns, and 

the gambrel roof of the "typical" barn are among the 

most prominent features on these buildings. A barn 

roof can often be seen from a distance, and for this 

reason must be considered a major feature. 

Materials. Among the major impressions given by wellmaintained historic barns are those of strength, solidity 

and permanence (see Fig. 3). These impressions largely 

result from the durability and ruggedness of the materials used in them. Weathered wood siding, irregularly 

shaped stones, or roughhewn logs on the exterior; 

dressed beams, posts scarred by years of use, and 

plank flooring on the interior all contribute to the special character of barns. 

Fig. 3. The stone walls of this Delaware barn are its most notable 

feature. Built about 1810, the barn is a bank barn. Photo: Valerie 

Cesna, Delaware Bureau of Archeology and Historic Preservation. 

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Openings. Unlike historic residential, industrial and 

commercial buildings, barns generally have few openings for windows and doors. Yet the openings found in 

barns are important both to their functioning and to 

their appearance. Typically, large wagon doorways and 

openings to the hayloft are among the most striking 

features on barns. Not as prominent as these large 

openings, but important from a functional perspective, 

are the ventilator slits found on many barns. With important exceptions (dairy barns, for example), windows 

are few, and are normally small. The relative absence of 

openings for windows and doors adds to the overall 

impression of massiveness and solidity conveyed by 

many historic barns, and is one of the reasons why 

they often appear to be larger than they are. 

Interior Spaces. The impression received upon stepping 

into many historic barns is that of space (see Fig. 4). Not 

infrequently, the entire building appears as a single 

large space. To enter these buildings is sometimes to 

experience the entire expanse of the building at once. 

Even when haylofts and animal stalls "consume" part 

of the building, they often do not keep the full expanse 

of the interior from being seen. In large barns, this can 

be an imposing sight. More commonly, the barn is a 

combination of confined spaces on the lower floor and 

a large open space above; in this case, the contrast 

between the confined and open spaces is also striking. 

The openness of the interior, furthermore, often contrasts with the "blankness" typical of many barn exteriors, with their relatively few openings. 

Fig. 4. Nowhere is the sense of space associated with barn int~riors 

more evident than in a round barn. The storage capaczty of thzs 1930 

barn is immense. Just visible midway up the wall is a circular track 

and pulley system used to move hay from the wagon entrance on the 

lower level and to distribute it around the loft. When needed, hay 

was dropped to the stalls below through an opening in the loft floor. 

Photo: Keith A. Sculle, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. 

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Structural Framework. The exposed structural framework 

is a major component of the character of most historic 

barns (see Fig. 5). Typically, barns were built for strictly 

utilitarian purposes. Accordingly, barn builders made 

no effort to conceal the structural system. Yet for that 

very reason, barns achieve an authenticity that accounts for much of their appeal. 

----: 

Fig. 5. The exposed structural framework of this large 1890 Illinois 

barn is impressive. In a recent rehabilitation a portion of the 

haymow floor (see arrow) was raised to provide clearance for large 

machinery. Photo: Dale Humphrey, Galesburg Register Mail. 

In some barns, the load-bearing members are of enormous dimensions, and the complex system of beams, 

braces, posts, rafters and other elements of the revealed framework create an imposing sight. Yet even in 

small barns, the structural system can be an important 

feature, helping to determine the historic character of 

the building. 

Decorative Features. Historic barns, like modern ones, 

are structures built for use. Nevertheless, decorative 

elements are not lacking on barns. Foremost among 

these is color (red being most common). Dutch barns 

traditionally sported distinctively shaped martin holes 

in the upper reaches of the building. Traditional hex 

signs on Pennsylvania barns are so well known as to 

have entered the mainstream of popular culture and 

taken on a life of their own (see Fig. 6). Decorative 

paint schemes, including contrasting colors to "pick 

out" cross members of the external framework, are 

common (these most frequently take the form of diamonds or "X's" on the main doors). Sign painters often 

took advantage of the size and visibility of barns in an 

age before billboards. "Mail Pouch Tobaccd' signs were 

nearly as numerous in the first quarter of the 20th century as patent medicine ads were in the last quarter of 

the 19th. Another decorative motif on historic barns is 

the arrangement of spacings between bricks to form 

decorative patterns (as well as to ventilate the barn). 
Fig. 6. Hex signs are among the wide range of decorative eLements 

found on American barns. Photo: Lee H. NeLson. 

In addition to these elements, arched window hoods, 

patterned slate roofs, fanciful cupolas, weathervanes, 

lightning rods and ornamented metal ventilator hoods 

can be found on historic barns. Finally, individual 

farmers and barn builders sometimes added personal 

touches, as when they carved or painted their names 

on anchor beams, or painted their names and the date 

over the entrance. 

The elements discussed here are major components of 

historic barns. Yet no list can convey the full historic 

character of an individual building. It is very important, therefore, to study each structure carefully before 

undertaking any project to restore it or to adapt it to 

new uses. 

Maintenance 

If a building is to be kept in good repair, periodic maintenance is essential. Barns should be routinely inspected for signs of damage and decay, and problems 

corrected as soon as possible. Water is the single greatest cause of building materials deterioration. The repair 

of roof leaks is therefore of foremost importance. Broken or missing panes of glass in windows or cupolas 

are also sources of moisture penetration, and should be 

replaced, as should broken ventilation louvers. Gutters 

and downspouts should be cleaned once or twice a 

year. Proper drainage and grading should be ensured, 

particularly in low spots around the foundation where 

water can collect. 

Moisture is one major threat to historic buildings. Insects, especially termites, carpenter ants and powder 

post beetles, are another. Regular examinations for 

infestations are essential. 

Additional periodic maintenance measures include 

repair or replacement of loose or missing clapboards, 

and inspections of foundations for cracks and settlements. Vegetation growing on the barn should be removed, and shrubs or trees near it should be cleared if 

they obstruct access, or, more serious, if roots and 

other growths threaten the foundation. Soil and manure build-ups against the foundation should be removed. Such build-ups hold water and snow against 

wooden elements, and promote rot. They also promote 

insect infestations. Door hardware should be checked 

for proper fitting and lubricated yearly. Lightning rods 

should be kept in proper working order, or added, if 

missing. 

Repair 

Many historic barns require more serious repairs than 

those normally classed as "routine maintenance" (see 

Fig. 7). Damaged or deteriorated features should be 

repaired rather than replaced wherever possible. If 

replacement is necessary, the new material should 

match the historic material in design, color, texture, 

and other visual qualities and, where possible, material. The design of replacements for missing features 

(for example, cupolas and dormers) should be based on 

historic, physical, or pictorial evidence. 

Many barn owners have substantial experience in the 

care of farm structures. Where expertise is lacking, it 

will be necessary to consult structural engineers, masons, carpenters, and architects, as appropriate. In 

addition, for many repairs, a knowledge of historic 

building techniques may be necessary. 

Structural Repairs. Ensuring the structural soundness of 

a historic barn is vital both to its continued usefulness 

and to the safety of its occupants. The following signs 

of structural settlements may require the services of a 

structural engineer to evaluate: major cracks in masonry walls, visible bowing, leaning and misalignment 

of walls, sagging windows and doors, separation of 

cladding from structural frames, trusses pulling away 

from seating points at support walls, sagging joists and 

rafters, and noticeable dips in the roof between rafters. 

To correct these problems, masonry foundations may 

have to be reset or partially rebuilt. Sills and plates may 

need to be repaired or replaced. Walls may have to be 

straightened and tied into the structural system more 

securely. Individual structural members may need bracing or splicing. 

Roofing. Moisture can damage historic materials severely, and, in extreme cases, jeopardize the structural 

integrity of a building. Every effort must be made to 

secure a weathertight roof. This may require merely 

patching a few missing shingles on a roof that is otherwise sound. In more severe cases, it may require repairing or replacing failing rafters and damaged 

sheathing. Such extreme intervention, however, is not 

usual. More typical is the need to furnish "a new roof;' 

that is, to replace the wooden shingles, asphalt shingles, slate shingles or metal covering the roof. Replacing one type of roofing with another can produce a 

drastic change in the appearance of historic buildings. 

Great care should be taken, therefore, to assess the 

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a b c 

d e f 

g 

Fig. 7. Now part of Antietam National Battlefield, this bank barn (built in the 1820s and enlarged in 1898 and 1914) looks out over fields and hills 

where Union and Confederate armies fought on the bloodiest day in American history. Owned by the National Park Service, the barn underwent 

major repairs: (a) the foundation was regraded for better drainage; (b) the deteriorated metal roof was removed; (c) removal of the metal roof disclosed 

the rotten wall plate and roof rafters; (d) these elements were replaced, and collars to hold a new gutter system were added; (e) new downspouts and 

drain pipes were installed to carry water off the roof and away from the foundation; (f) damaged structural members were strengthened with new 

sections; (g) new roof and other work finished, the barn remains a working farm structure. Photos: (a-f), Courtesy, Williamsport Preservation 

Training Center, NPS; (g), Jack E. Boucher, HABS. 

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contribution of the roof to the appearance and character of the bam before replacing one type of roofing 

material with another. While some substitute materials 

(such as synthetic slate shingles) can be considered, the 

highest priority should be to replace in-kind, and to 

match the visual qualities of the historic roof. Gutters 

and downspouts should be replaced if damaged or 

missing. Finally, dormers, cupolas, metal ventilators 

and other rooftop "ornaments" provide needed ventilation, and should be repaired if necessary. 

Exterior. In addition to the roof and the foundation, 

other exterior elements may need repair, including 

siding, brick and stonework, dormers and cupolas, 

windows and doors. Shutters may be falling off, doors 

may need to be rehung, and missing louvers replaced. 

The exterior may need repainting. (Unpainted brick or 

stone barns, however, should never be painted.) In the 

case of masonry barns, repointing may be necessary. If 

so, mortar that is compatible in appearance and composition with the historic mortar must be used. Using 

mortar high in portland cement can damage historic 

brick or stone. Masonry cleaning should be undertaken 

only when necessary to halt deterioration or to remove 

heavy dirt, and using the gentlest means possible. 

Sandblasting and other physical or chemical treatments 

that damage historic materials should not be used. 

Likewise, power washing under high pressure can also 

damage building material. 

Interior. Typical interior repairs may include removing 

and replacing rotten floorboards, and repair or replacement of partitions, storage bins, gutters and stalls. 

Concrete floors may be cracked and in need of repair. 

Wiring and plumbing may need major overhaul. 

Rehabilitation 

Some barns have served the same uses for generations, 

and need only periodic repairs and routine maintenance. Others have become obsolete and need extensive updating for modern farming methods. (To house 

livestock, for example, a bam may need new feeding, 

watering, waste removal, electrical, plumbing and ventilation systems.) Similarly, barns that can no longer be 

used for agriculture at all normally require changes to 

adapt them for commercial, office, or residential use. 

In such cases barns need more extensive work than the 

maintenance and r.epair treatments outlined above. 

However, when rehabilitiating a historic bam for a new 

farming operation or a new use entirely, care must be 

taken to preserve its historic character while making 

needed changes (see Figs. 8, 9 and 10). 

A successful rehabilitation project is best guaranteed 

when a work plan is drawn up by someone familiar 

with the evaluation of historic structures, and when it 

is carried out by contractors and workmen experienced 

with the building type and committed to the goal of 

retaining the historic character of the property. Help in 

formulating rehabilitation plans and in locating experienced professionals is normally available from the State 

Historic Preservation Office and local preservation 

groups. 

The following approaches should be observed when 

carrying out rehabilitation projects on historic barns: 

1. Preserve the historic setting of the bam as much as 

possible. Modem farming practices do not require the 

great number of outbuildings, lots, fences, hedges, 

Fig. 8. Built in the Gothic RevivaL styLe in the 1890s, this four-story Indiana barn had fallen into disuse, and was deteriorating. In the process of 

returning it to use, the owner installed a new roof that matches the wooden shingles found beneath the deteriorating asphalt shingle roof; removed 

the modern asbestos shingle siding; repaired the windows, and reconstructed the cupola (including its lightning rod and weathervane). (Before and 

after views are of opposite sides of barn.) Photos: Before, Courtesy, Gary Post-Tribune; After, Courtesy, Kankakee Valley News. 

9 
walls and other elements typical of historic farms. Yet 

such features, together with fields, woods, ponds, and 

other aspects of the farm setting can be important to 

the character of historic barns. The functional relationship between the barn and silo is particularly significant and should also be maintained. 

2. Repair and repaint historic siding rather than cover 

barns with artificial siding. Siding applied over the 

entire surface of a building can give it an entirely different appearance, obscure craft details, and mask ongoing deterioration of historic materials underneath. The 

resurfacing of historic farm buildings with any new 

material that does not duplicate the historic material is 

never a recommended treatment. 

Fig. 9. This enormous Ohio barn (285 feet by 125) was built between 1909 and 1912. It was one of 102 structures on "America 's Finest Farm." 

(Other buildings included the world's largest greenhouse and the world's largest barn-nearly 800 feet long). The barn seen here was rehabilitated for 

use as headquarters for an international agricultural firm. Although the use has changed, comparison of the interior photographs shows that the barn 

has retained its historic character. (After view, interior, is taken from a cross axis; distortion is from fish-eye lens.) Photos: Exterior and interior, after: 

Ron Kuntz, UPI; Interior, before: Courtesy, Barberton (Ohio) Historical Society. 

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Fig. 10. This 1910 Vermont round barn is 80 feet in diameter. Disused and decayin$' the building was converted to a community center, with artists' 

studios and spaces for weddings, parties and conferences. The barn underwent extensIVe structural repair and other work. Careful selectIOn of new use 

permitted the building to be rehabilitated while retaining its principal spaces and features-and ItS hlstonc character-lI1tact. Photos: Jay White. 

3. Repair rather than replace historic windows whenever possible, and avoid "blocking them down" or 

covering them up. Avoid the insertion of numerous 

new window openings. They can give a building a 

domestic appearance, radically altering a barn's character. However, if additional light is needed, add new 

windows carefully, respecting the size and scale of 

existing window openings. 

4. Avoid changing the size of door openings whenever 

possible. Increasing the height of door openings to 

accommodate new farm machinery can dramatically 

alter the historic character of a barn. If larger doors are 

needed, minimize the visual change. Use new trackhung doors rather than oversized rolled steel doors, 

which give an industrial appearance incompatible with 

most historic barns. If the barn has wood siding, the 

new doors should match it. If historic doors are no 

longer needed, fix them shut instead of removing them 

and filling in the openings. 

5. Consider a new exterior addition only if it is essential to the continued use of a historic barn. A new addition can damage or destroy historic features and 

materials and alter the overall form of the historic 

building. If an addition is required, it should be built in 

a way that minimizes damage to external walls and 

internal plan. It should also be compatible with the 

historic barn, but sufficiently differentiated from it so 

that the new work is not confused with what is genuinely part of the past. 

6. Retain interior spaces and features as much as possible. The internal volume of a barn is often a major 

character-defining feature, and the insertion of new 

floors, partitions, and structures within the barn can 

drastically impair the overall character of the space. 

Similarly, interior features should also be retained to 

the extent possible. 

7. Retain as much of the historic internal structural system as possible. Even in cases where it is impractical to 

keep all of the exposed structural system, it may be 

possible to keep sufficiently extensive portions of it to 

convey a strong sense of the interior character. Wholesale replacement of the historic structural system with a 

different system should be avoided. 

Housing: A Special Concern 

The conversion of barns to housing is not new, 

but has become increasingly popular in recent 

years. Yet the changes involved in converting 

most barns to housing are so great that such conversions rarely preserve the historic character of 

the resource. Ordinarily, numerous windows are 

inserted, walls are heavily insulated and refinished, the interior volume is greatly reduced, 

chimneys and other fixtures normally lacking in 

barns are added, and site changes, such as closein parking and residential landscaping are made, 

giving the building a greatly altered site. Many 

other barns are "converted" to houses by dismantling them, discarding the exterior, and reusing " 

the internal structural system in a new building. 

The beams are saved, but the barn is lost. 

In cases where the conversion from barns to 

houses has been successful, the positive outcome 

results in large measure from the careful choice of 

the barn: A modest-sized barn with a sufficient 

number of existing residential-scale windows, in 

which nearly the whole internal volume can be 

used as is, without building numerous new partitions or extending a new floor across the open 

space (haylofts in such cases serving as loft-space 

for "second story" bedrooms). 

11 
Summary 

Historic barns form a vital part of our Nation's heritage. 

Not every historic barn can be saved from encroaching 

development, or easily brought back into productive 

use. Yet thousands of such structures can be repaired 

or rehabilitated for continued agricultural use or for 

new functions without destroying the very qualities 

that make them worth saving. By carefully examining 

the historic significance of each structure, owners of 

historic barns can draw up plans that preserve and 

reuse these historic structures while maintaining their 

historic character. 

Selected Reading 

Arthur, Eric and Dudley Witney. The Barn: A Vanishing Landmark ill 

North America. Greenwich, CT: New York Graphic SOCiety Ltd., 

1972. 

Fitchen, John. The New World Dutch Barn: A Study of Its Characteristics, 

Its Structural System, and Its Probable Erectional Procedures. Syracuse, 

NY: Syracuse University Press, 1968. 

Halsted, Byron D., ed. Barns, Sheds and Outbuildings. New York: O. 

Judd Co., 1881. Rpt.: Brattleboro, VT: Stephen Greene Press, 1977. 

Humstone, Mary. Barn Again! A Guide to Rehabilitation of Older Farm 

Buildings. Des Moines, IA: Meredith Corporation and the National 

Trust for Historic Preservation, 1988. 

Klamkin, Charles. Barns: Their History, Preservation and Restoration. 

New York: Hawthorn, 1973. 

Schuler, Stanley. American Barns: In a Class by Themselves, Exton, PA: 

Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1984. 

Schultz, leRoy G., compo Barns, Stables and Outbuildings: A World 

Bibliography in English, 1700-1983. Jefferson, NC, and London: 

McFarland & Co., 1986. 

Stokes, Samuel N., et al. Saving America's Countryside: A Guide to 

Rural Conservation. Baltimore and London: Johns Hopkins 

University Press, 1989. 

Cover photograph: Prairie barn with monitor roof North Dakota. 

Photo: Mary Humstone. 

12 

NOTES 

I NOf(~ V. Winter, "Design on the Farm: A Rural Preservation Forum," Unpublished 

proceedings from a Conference sponsored by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, 

Denver, Colorado, January 13-14, 1986. 

2 Descriptions of the primary barn types featured in this section are heavily indebted to Eric 

Arthur and Dudley Witney, The Bam: A VanisJ,ing Landmark in North America. Greenwich, 

Cf: New York Graphic Society, Ltd. , 1972. 

) John Fitchen, The New World Dutch Bam: A Study of Its Characteristics, Its Structural System, 

and Its Probable Erectiollal Procedures. Syracuse. NY: Syracuse University Press, 1968, p. 136. 

4 Washington's "round" barn, actually a 16-sided barn, is shown in Lowell J. Soike, Without 

Right Angles: The Round Barns of [Diva. Des Moines: fowa State Historical Department, 1983. 

Round, octagonal and other polygonal barns are normally all classed as "round barns. " 

When it is necessary to be more precise, the term "true round " is used to distinguish round 

barns from hexagonal, octagonal, or other polygonal barns. The Shaker Round Barn is a true 

round barn. Gutted by fire in 1864, the barn was rebuilt shortly thereafte r. See Polly 

Matherly and John D. McDermott, Hancock Shaker Village National Historic Landmark 

study, History Division, National Park Service, Washington, D.C. 

5 In addition to the sources mentioned above, the following studies were important sources 

for this section: Mark L. Peckham, "Central Plan Dairy Barns of New York Thematic 

Resources," Albany: New York State Division for Historic Preservation, 1984; and James E. 

Jacobsen and Cheryl Peterson, "Iowa Round Barns: The Sixty Year Experiment Thematic 

Resources," Des Moines: Iowa State Historical Department, 1986. These thematic studies 

document barns listed in the National Register of Historic Places. 

6 Charles Klamkin, Barns: Their History, Preservation, and Restoration. New York: Hawthorn, 

1973, p. 57. 

Acknowledgements 

The author gratefully acknowledges the invaluable assistance of Mary 

Humstone, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Mountains/Plains Regional 

Office, and Sharon C. Park, Kay D. Weeks, and Robert Powers of the National 

Park Service. Significant contributions were also made by Stan Graves, Texas 

Historical Commission, on behalf of the National Conference of State Historic 

Preservation Officers; Shirley Dunn, Dutch Barn Preservation Society, 

Rensselaer, NY; Janis King, Knoxville, IL; Marilyn Fede1chak, National Trust for 

Historic Preservation; Fred Swader, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Linda 

McClelland, National Register of Historic Places. In addition, useful comments 

and technical assistance were provided by the staff of the Technical 

Preservation Services Branch, directed by H. Ward Jand!, by the cultural 

resources staff of National Park Service Regional Offices, by Jack Boucher, 

Catherine Lavoie and Ellen Minnich of the Historic American Buildings Survey, 

and by Alicia Weber of the Park Historic Architecture Division. 

This publication has been prepared pursuant to the National Historic 

Preservation Act, as amended, which directs the Secretary of the Interior to 

develop and make available information concerning historic properties. 

Preservation Brief 20 has been developed under the direction of Lee H. Nelson, 

FAlA, Chief, Preservation Assistance Division, National Park Service, P.O. Box 

37l27, Washington, D.C. 20013-7127. 

October 1989