Round barns in Illinois

Last updated
Round Barns in Illinois TR
U of I Round Barn Architectural Drawing.jpg
This architectural drawing is of one of three University of Illinois round barns.
Location Illinois, United States
Architectural style Round barns
MPS MPL001 – Round Barns in Illinois Thematic Resources
NRHP reference No. 64000152,1982: 82000401, 82002536, 82002582, 82002586. 1983: 83000326. 1984: 84001150, 84001152, 84001155, 84001157, 84001164. 1992: 92001017. 1994: 94000030. 2003: 02000750.
Added to NRHPAugust 26, 1982; December 7, 1982; 1983; February 23, 1984; 1992; 1994; 2003. [1]

Round Barns in Illinois was the subject of a Multiple Property Submission to the National Register of Historic Places in the U.S. state of Illinois. The submission consists of 18 Illinois round barns located throughout the state. The list had major additions in 1982 and 1984. In 1983, 1992 and 2003 one property was added to the submission and in 1994 a historic district at the University of Illinois, including three round barns, was added to the submission and the National Register of Historic Places. The highest concentration of round barns on the submission occurs in Stephenson County. Five Stephenson County round barns were added to the National Register on February 23, 1984.

Contents

Barns

The round barn Multiple Property Submission (MPS) in Illinois includes 18 round barns. [2]

Original submission

Seven round barns were added to the National Register per the original MPS in 1982. At the time just one other Illinois round barn was listed on the Register, the Ryan Round Barn in Henry County. [2] Three of the 1982 round barns have since been removed from the Register, most likely due to demolition or destruction, the John McCarthy Round Barn, the Clyde Leek Round Barn and the Clarence Forehand Round Barn were removed from the listing in December 1995. [2] [3] The other barns listed in 1982 were: the Raymond Schulz Round Barn, Virginia Tillery Round Barn, Clarence Kleinkopf Round Barn and, in December, the Ron George Round Barn in Will County. The other three were added to the Register on August 26, 1982. [2] An eighth round barn was determined eligible and nominated to the Register between December 1982 and February 1983 but the owner of the Willard White Round Barn in DeKalb County, near Hinckley, objected to the nomination and the barn was not listed. [2]

Lewis Round Barn

The Lewis Round Barn is located in Mendon, Illinois. The barn has been restored and relocated and is the latest addition to the Round Barn MPS. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Stephenson County area

The James Bruce Round Barn near Freeport, Illinois Freeport Il Bruce Round Barn7.JPG
The James Bruce Round Barn near Freeport, Illinois

At the time of the 1984 addition to the Round Barn MPS Stephenson County, Illinois had more round barns than any other county in the United States. [2] Of the 31 round barns constructed in the four county area that makes up the Stephenson County area for the purpose of the MPS, 21 are found within the borders of Stephenson County. The other ten are spread out over Winnebago County, Illinois, Green County, Wisconsin and Rock County, Wisconsin. The 21 barns in the county exceeds the 18 round barns in Vernon County, Wisconsin and the 12 round barns in Fulton County, Indiana. [2] On the original January 1984 nomination seven round barns were included in the Stephenson County area, of those six were added to the MPS and, thus, the National Register of Historic Places. As of 2007 five of the six round barns listed in 1984 are still on the Register. They are: the Dennis Otte Round Barn, the Gerald Harbach Round Barn, James Bruce Round Barn, Chris Jensen Round Barn and the Charles Fehr Round Barn. [2] The Robert Weber Round Barn is in nearby Winnebago County.

Robert Buckles barn

The Buckles Round Barn, located in Logan County near Mount Pulaski, was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the Round Barn MPS, on February 10, 1983. Its roof was damaged after a 1927 tornado and remained damaged until a $30,000 repair and restoration was undertaken in 1982. This round barn was built in 1917. [4]

University of Illinois

A to-scale cutaway of one of the U of I barns, note the center silo. To scale cutaway U of I round barn.jpg
A to-scale cutaway of one of the U of I barns, note the center silo.

Part of the 1994 National Register of Historic Places listing for the University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District includes three round barns. The barns were constructed every two years from 1908 thru 1912. [5] The barns are known by the simple designations, Barn #1, Barn #2 and Building #857. Though all round barns, Building #857 includes a rectangular brick wing attached to main round section of the building. [5]

Wheeler-Magnus Round Barn

The Wheeler-Magnus Round Barn is the only round barn listed on the National Register of Historic Places located in Cook County. The barn was added to both the Round Barn MPS and the Register in 1992. [2]

Other Illinois round barns

There are, certainly, dozens of additional round barns standing throughout Illinois. Of the round barns listed on the National Register of Historic Places just one was listed before the development of the MPS, the Ryan Round Barn north of Kewanee. [1]

Significance

One of the barns on the University of Illinois' campus at sunset UofIRoundBarns.jpg
One of the barns on the University of Illinois' campus at sunset

Illinois, as home to the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Illinois, played a key role in promoting and popularizing the round barn design. The three round barns that are now part of the historic district at the experiment station helped influence Illinoisians and, in turn, other Midwesterners, to build round barns. In the case of the Raymond Schulz Round Barn, near Pontiac, Illinois, it was constructed specifically because its owner had viewed the round barns at the university. [6]

The round barn was the last of five types of American barns to be built by carpenters, the others being the Dutch, English, connected and Pennsylvania barns. [2] Collectively, they represent the foray of science into the field of agriculture. [2]

See also

Related Research Articles

The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic value". A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District, may qualify for tax incentives derived from the total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bernadotte Bridge</span> United States historic place

The Bernadotte Bridge at Bernadotte, built in 1910, is one of nine metal highway bridges in Fulton County, Illinois listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is located along County Route 2 between Smithfield, Illinois to the north, and Ipava, Illinois to the south. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1980, along with the eight other bridges, as one of the "Metal Highway Bridges of Fulton County". The bridge is one of three near Smithfield listed on the Register, the others are the Buckeye Bridge and the Tartar's Ferry Bridge. A fourth bridge near the Smithfield was included on the Register but removed in 1996, following its 1995 destruction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buckeye Bridge</span> United States historic place

Buckeye Bridge also known as White's Ferry Bridge was one of nine metal highway bridges in Fulton County, Illinois once listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Buckeye is one of the five bridges that have been demolished out of nine similar bridges in the county. This particular one was over the Spoon River near Smithfield, Illinois. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1980, along with the eight other bridges, as one of the "Metal Highway Bridges of Fulton County". The bridge was one of three near Smithfield listed on the Register, the others are the Bernadotte Bridge and the Tartar's Ferry Bridge. Others, such as the Babylon Bend Bridge in Ellisville, are located throughout the county. Another Smithfield area bridge, Elrod Bridge, was nominated with the original Multiple Property Submission but removed from the Register after its 1995 destruction by an F-4 tornado.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Round barn</span> Circular storage building

A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880 to 1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn construction in the United States can be divided into two overlapping eras. The first, the octagonal era, spanned from 1850 to 1900. The second, the true circular era, spanned from 1889 to 1936. The overlap meant that round barns of both types, polygonal and circular, were built during the latter part of the nineteenth century. Numerous round barns in the United States are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District</span> Historic district in Illinois, United States

The University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District, also known as South Farm, is a designated historic district in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is located on the campus of the University of Illinois in Urbana, Illinois. The district consists of eight contributing structures and several non-contributing structures. The district was designated in 1994 when it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Multiple Property Submission concerning Round Barns in Illinois. Three of the district's buildings are early 20th century round barns constructed between 1908 and 1912. The district covers a total area of 6 acres (2 ha).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wheeler-Magnus Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Wheeler-Magnus Round Barn is located on the grounds of a retirement community in the Cook County village of Arlington Heights in the U.S. state of Illinois. It is a 50 feet (15 m) diameter barn built in approximately 1910.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Raymond Schulz Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Raymond Schulz Round Barn or Raymond Schultz Round Barn is a round barn in the U.S. state of Illinois. The barn was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 26, 1982, as part of the original Multiple Property Submission, Round Barns in Illinois Thematic Resources.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia Tillery Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Virginia Tillery Round Barn is a round barn located on County Route 738 west of White Hall in Greene County, Illinois. The barn was built in the fall of 1912 for farmer Harry C. Price. With a 36 feet 6 inches (11.13 m) diameter, the barn is relatively small for an Illinois round barn; the median diameter of Illinois round barns was 60 feet (18 m). Its size suggests that it served as a general-purpose barn, not a dairy barn like the state's larger round barns. Brown tile blocks were used to build the barn, which is topped by a wood shingle roof with a cupola.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clarence Kleinkopf Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Clarence Kleinkopf Round Barn is a round barn in McDonough County, Illinois, United States. The correct GPS coordinates are: 40.45506936294263, -90.81113789160236. Carpenter Dick Carmack built the barn in 1915 for farmer George Welch. The wooden barn has a diameter of 56 feet (17 m) and a shingled hip roof. The barn's entrances are on the west, south, and northwest sides. A haymow encircles three-quarters of the barn at the roof's base, and a ventilator sits at the roof's peak.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Judge Jacob Gale House</span> Historic house in Illinois, United States

The Judge Jacob Gale House is located at 403 N.E. Jefferson Ave., Peoria, Illinois, United States. The home was constructed for Judge Jacob Gale around 1839 or 1840. The Greek Revival house was built within the five years following the city's downtown being laid out and streets established. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 19, 1982. The home is also listed as a contributing member to Peoria's North Side Historic District, which was added to the National Register in November 1983.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of Illinois round barns</span> United States historic place

The three University of Illinois round barns played a special role in the promotion and popularity of the American round barn. They are located in Urbana Township, on the border of the U.S. city of Urbana, Illinois and on the campus of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The University of Illinois was home to one of the Agricultural Experiment Stations, located at U.S. universities, which were at the heart of the promotion of the round barn. At least one round barn in Illinois was built specifically after its owner viewed the barns at the university. Though originally an experiment the three barns helped to lead the way for round barn construction throughout the Midwest, particularly in Illinois. The barns were listed as contributing properties to the U of I Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District, which was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1994.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Weber Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Robert Weber Round Barn is a round barn located east of Durand, Illinois, United States along Illinois Route 75 in Harrison Township. The Weber barn was constructed in 1917 and features a roof designed and built by the Haas Brothers, who worked on other area round barns. The barn is 55 feet (17 m) in diameter and features a 24-foot (7.3 m) diameter central silo. The design of the Weber Round Barn stands out from other area round barns in its vitrified tile walls, a development used in later period American round barns. The Robert Weber Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John H. Addams Homestead</span> United States historic place

The John H. Addams Homestead, also known as the Jane Addams Birthplace, is located in the Stephenson County village of Cedarville, Illinois, United States. The homestead property, a 5.5-acre (22,000 m2) site, includes an 1840s era Federal style house, a Pennsylvania-style barn, and the remains of John H. Addams' mill complex. The house was built in two portions, in 1846 and 1854 by Addams; he added some minor additions during the 1870s. Other major alterations took place during a 1950s modernization of the home. The homestead has been noted for its significance to industry and politics. On September 6, 1860, future Nobel Peace Prize recipient Jane Addams was born in the house.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Bruce Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The James Bruce Round Barn is a round barn located near the Stephenson County, Illinois city of Freeport, United States. The barn was constructed in 1914 by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers, who were responsible for at least a dozen round barns in the area. The barn features a single hip roof design which was probably influenced by the Agricultural Experiment Stations at the University of Illinois and the University of Wisconsin–Madison. The Bruce Round Barn was the last known round barn designed by the Shaffer–Haas team. The building was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places as part of a multiple property submission in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benjamin Stephenson House</span> Historic house in Illinois, United States

The Benjamin Stephenson House is a Federal style home built in 1820 in the city of Edwardsville, Illinois, United States. The house was constructed by prominent Edwardsville citizen and Illinois politician Benjamin Stephenson. He died shortly after the home's completion and the home had 15 subsequent owners, some of whom made major alterations to the original structure. In 1845 the addition of an ell altered the appearance of the house. The last two owners were the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity and the current owner, the city of Edwardsville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gerald Harbach Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Gerald Harbach Round Barn is a round barn near Eleroy, an unincorporated community in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The builder and designer of the building are unknown but it is very similar to round barns designed by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Hass Brothers. It was probably built around the same time as the James Bruce Round Barn, erected in 1914, in Freeport. The Harbach Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dennis Otte Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Dennis Otte Round Barn is a round barn in the U.S. state of Illinois near the unincorporated Stephenson County community of Eleroy. The barn was built in 1930 by Herman Altenbern and has a diameter of 54 feet. The barn is representative of the last round barn design variations that evolved. The Otte Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charles Fehr Round Barn</span> United States historic place

The Charles Fehr Round Barn is a round barn in the U.S. state of Illinois near the Stephenson County village of Orangeville. The barn was built in 1912 by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers about one half mile from the Illinois–Wisconsin state border. The building is the first round barn in the Stephenson County area, home to 31 round barns, with a hip roof. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central House (Orangeville, Illinois)</span> United States historic place

Central House is an 1860s hotel building located in the 800-person village of Orangeville, in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The building was built by Orangeville founder John Bower and operated as a hotel from its construction until the 1930s, when it was converted for use as a single family residence. The three-story building was the first commercial brick structure in downtown Orangeville. Architecturally, the building is cast in a mid-19th-century Italianate style. Central House was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Union House</span> Historic house in Illinois, United States

The Union House, also known as the John Bower House, is a small, mostly Gothic Revival house in downtown Orangeville, Illinois, United States. The house, the first brick home in Orangeville, was built in 1849 by village founder John Bower. It was purchased by Samuel Hutchins in 1885 and it remained in the Hutchins family until 1951. The house blends elements of Greek and Gothic Revival architecture and is the only example of Gothic Revival found in the village of Orangeville. The house was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places in 2000.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Round Barns in Illinois Thematic Group Nomination, (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, NRIS Database, National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
  3. March 1, 1006 – Weekly Listing, Weekly Activity Listing, National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 10 February 2007.
  4. Robert Buckles Round Barn, (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2007.
  5. 1 2 University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District, (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved 8 February 2007.
  6. Raymond Schulz Round Barn, (PDF), National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form, HAARGIS Database, Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. Retrieved 9 February 2007.