This unique structure was built to house the Shakers' dairy herd. Its circular design promoted efficiency in milking, feeding, cleaning and hay storage. Cows were stanchioned in a circle, radiating out from a central hay mow, which could be accessed on the upper level by hay wagons.
Walkways ring the building in front of and behind the stanchions, expediting feeding and milking.
Trap doors placed at intervals behind the stanchions allowed manure to be shoveled into the lower pit, which also could be accessed by wagons from the outside of the building. The Round Barn has seen many changes. When the barn burned down in 1864 it was rebuilt with a flat roof and cupola. In the 1870s the monitor roof was added, increasing ventilation, headroom and light. In 1968 the barn was completely restored.