Historic Round Barn - Biglerville, PA - Barns on Waymarking.com

This round barn is of enough historic significance that it was included as a point of interest by the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (http://www.lhhc.org) - even though it is not adjacent to the highway. A sign posted at the site provides a nice history of this barn - some of the text follows:

"Considered an 'endangered species', round barn architecture was developed by the Shakers - a religious sect - whose members believed a circle to be the most perfect shape. After their old barn burned, the Noah Sheely family built this particular barn in 1914. to get more information on round barns, the family wrote to the Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station, and hired Architect Morris Rhodes of Chambersburg, PA."

"The incredible skeletal structure was built with ingenuity and manpower instead of high-tech, high-powered machines. Builder John Fritz bicycled five miles each day from his home in nearby Cashtown to work the barn construction. The project took 250 barrels of cement to form the foundation and first floor; the circumference is 282 feet with a diameter of over 87 feet. The barn was constructed around a central silo measuring 60 feet high and 12 feet wide. Nearly 50 head of cattle and 16 horses or mules can be housed in the barn."

So few round barns remain that they are are registered with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The majority of these barns were built from 1900 to 1920 - mostly in the American Northeast and Midwest.

The round barn can be classified by 2 types:

the polygonal barn - with 5 or more equal sides

the true round or 'barrel' barn - this barn serves as a prime example.

The round barn's silo has a capacity of 145 tons of silage. The silo also anchors 38 "spokes" that form the interior support structure and support for the second floor. for more information on the Round Barn see (visit link)

Construction: Wood Is this a 'working' barn?: Other (describe below) Other: This barn was designed to house animals. The farm has been growing fruit & vegetables for the past century - it still offers product for sale on-site. Distinctive Features: Distinctive Shape (round, octagon, gambrel roof, cupola, multi-level) Rating - Please Rate this Barn: Other Distinctive Features: Not listed

Visit Instructions:

When visiting a waymark, please take pictures that clearly show the barn and any implements, animals or other farm-related items that might be visible. This category can be as much about creative photography as the actual building itself. 

Tell us about your visit. Is this the first time you saw this barn? Did you make a special trip to 'visit' this waymark? Are you a 'country mouse' or 'city mouse'?

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   09/04/2010 urpickle visited it