The Pete Larsen Farm is an historic site in Porter County, Indiana.
The property was purchased from the Bailly Homestead by F. Burstrom in the early 1870s. [1] Swedish immigrant Peter Larson was a successful carpenter from Chicago. He was a construction supervisor and spent little time at the farm, traveling home on weekends. He was more prosperous than many. He purchased a Sears catalogue house and contracted help during construction. [2]
Historic Structures
- Farm House - The house is a frame construction. It has two stories in a rectangle. The material was purchased from Sears & Roebuck through their catalogue, and is their No. 110 model (later marketed as the Silverdale). [3] Built between 1908 and 1910 it features intersecting gable roof with a front porch. The Lap siding is still original (2010). The foundation is concrete block. [2]
- Garage
- Barn - A family story tells of Pete, bringing home an Italian work crew one weekend. By Sunday, the barn was completed. [2] The barn is a small, two-story building of frame construction. It has a hay loft under a gambrel roof. It was built ca 1920, replacing an earlier structure. It has a concrete foundation with a wood lap exterior. The Dutch door on east and west sides are original with the hay loft doors on both the north and south walls. A large vehicle door on north was added at a later time. [2]