If you drive through farm country, you’re bound to see a number of barns in various conditions. Some may look old and decrepit, others are still standing tall – all still revealing their long-standing history. Each style of timber-frame barn was once built with a specific purpose in mind. But not every barn is the same.
Do you know how to identify barns? Could you tell which types of barns fulfill a specific purpose?
Barn identification skills are not common among most Americans. But those of you who love to adorn your home with rustic barnwood fixtures, furniture, and décor, here’s a brief primer on the different types of barns.
When most people picture a barn, this is what comes to mind. A gambrel barn has a central ridge at the top and the upper-level area is expanded by two additional ridges on either side. This was mainly to allow for more hay to be stored while still having room to navigate throughout the upper level. The Gambrel Barn began being built in the 1800s and were designed to be simple and open. Also known as “Dutch Barns”, Gambrel Barns are one of the rarest types of barns in America left today.
Originally known as a Pennsylvania Bank Barn or Sweitzer barn, bank barns are one of the most prominent barn types built prior to 1880 found in the United States. They are called bank barns because one side is built into the bank of the hill, allowing livestock and wagons to be easily driven into the second level of the barn.
The main area is on the second level, where cattle are kept. The second level provided hay storage. When livestock needed to be fed, hay could be pushed from the loft to the animals below. When the animals needed to pass said hay, it would fall to level below. This would gravity to do most of the work.
Probably the most unique-looking barn, a round barn can be polygonal or octagonal in shape as well. From 1880-1920 there was a spike in round barn production. The round barn provided a continuous workspace inside, eliminating the need for obstructive posts. Cattle would line the barn in “wedges” along the wall and feed would be distributed from the middle. Round barns have been proven to be stronger in structure, more easily holding up to the elements.
A gable barn is also known as a New England barn or Three Gable barn. This style is among the most common barn style dating back to the 19th century. A gable barn consists of one main block, a two-storied gable-roof shed with right angles on either side, creating three gables – one on each end of the main block and one at the end of the wing. Many gable barns will represent the shape of an “L” or “T”. The gable barn was often used to stream straw, which was a technique becoming popular in the same time period.
These are the most popular styles we’ve found. Have you seen a different type? Share it with us below!
