Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1916-03-28
EDGEVVOOD farm
GETS A WR|TE-UP
Fine Pictures and Story Of F. A
Huddlestun Farm in Register
and Leader. ~

D.
contains several very fine cuts o.
4 the F. A. Huddlestun farm at thu
south border OF this city, and ;
lengthy write-up of EdgeWood
which is one of the finest hors,
farms in this part of Iowa. On &C
count of limited space, only portion!
of the write-up are copied:
People don't often ring our dool
bell; we try to open the door first
are the words used by Frank A
Huddlestun of Webster City, in tel
ling of the spirit of living which
prevails in his beautiful home on
Edgewood farm.
Though Mr.. Huddlestun has lived
in Iowa for many years, there is
something about him and about his
farm which makes one think of the
stories about the famed horse breed
ing farms of Virginia. Edgewood
farm and it's owner are known far
and wide for the excellent horses
which are sent forth, but among
those who know Mr.. Huddlestun
best the thing which always comes
to mind first is the genial and kindly
comradeship and generous hospital
ity which always marks the true
horseman. People are not told good
by at Edgewood, but are hidden to
remember, though the door may be
shut, that the latch key always
hangs on the outside.
Edgewood farm is interesting. 1t
consists Of body OF somewhat more
than 200 acres Of level-lying land
within the boundaries of Webster
City and abutting the Boone river
on the northeast. Along its north
ern border isNa light fringe OF trees,
whence the name "Edgewood. 1t
marks at once the end-ef the timber
in it's locality, and from the farm
southwark stretches the great level
plain of black soil marked on the
maps as the Wisconsin drift area.
The few outcroppings of gravel on
Edgewood just serve to--break the
nOnotony of fiat land, yet not suffic-
iently to mar it's charm nor its util-
ity.
To those who know not the own
cr, Edgewood is chiefly associated
with horsedom. On the farm are
reared a string of ponderous, hairy
leg ged Shires which have gone far
to uphold the good name of the own
er, and the good qualities Of these
horses have long ago established Mr..
Huddlestun's reputation among the
horse breeders of Iowa. He is one
of the most extensive Shire breeding
farmers in the state, there being now
more than thirty representatives Of
that breed on Edgewood. In addi-
ton to the Shires, there are also
bred a few Percherons, also some
prancing five-gaited saddle horses,
the latter hobby of Mr.. Huddle-
stun's.
The business was established
nearly quarter Of a century ago on
farm seven miles south OF Web
ster City, but finding ting location
inconyenient, the owner, purchased
the present farm on tie border Of
Webster City. 1t hagf grown stead
lily as the years hay ,fgone by, until
now it occupies tn attention of not
only the owner t'but of two other
men as we'll. n
lie fence Of the barnyards at
Edgewood are unique. Concrete has
been employed in their construction
to an amount probably not equalled
on any other farm in Iowa, the whole
making a fence that would seem tc
be absolutely permanent and ever,
lasting. On Edgewood farm there
are twenty gates which are thanked
by powerfully reinforced concrete
posts, and this in addition to some
eighty or one hundred yards of fence
built, form concrete wall eight
inches thick and five feet in height
or more. These are painted OF
whitewashed, until they have uni
formiy white appearance which adds
to the neatness Of the whole farm,
These fences were begun i've
years ago by Mr.. Huddlestun in self
defense to keep from the continual
repair necessary to fences which are
to turn heavy horses. The designs
are his own and specifications call
for a wall eight inches thick at the
base and six at the top, the Concrete
being aided by, wire and rods liber-
ally sprinkled through it, and every
twelve feet big gas pive going from
the wall through into three feet OF
soil. The wall goes eighteen inches
or more below ground, so that the
whole is the personification of sub
stantial construction.
The cost of these fences is not