Barns in Brookville
Have you ever looked at an old barn and said: "I'd like to know more about that barn?" Well now is your change to learn about different barns and their features too.
We are going to take a look at different barns in the Brookville area and the history of them too. The first one is the Plylers' barn which was built in 1906 by a man with the last name of Johns. He also had help from some of the Plylers family members. This barn was built with big thick beams and pegs. Originally, it had no nails but it got so damaged over the years that the Plylers had to reconstruct the sides with nails and thinner boards. The constructor was Ed Hauffman.
A barn first owned by the Hunter family and is now owned by Jim Barry and his family was built in 1914. It is only one story high. There are overlays but instead of beams, like most old barns had, it had laminated rafters. This means that many boards are put together to make one stronger rafter. On the other side of the farm is the first barn that was built on the same farm, and the Hunters constructed it in the 1800's. In this barn there are no laminated rafters; it is all made out of beams and pegs, just like the Plylers' barn. Since this barn is so old and not in the greatest of shape, it is only used to keep cows in it.
FACT: In old times, some families would live on the second floor of their barn during the winter for the heat from the animals, but in the summer they would have to move due to the unbearable heat and too many insects.
The octagon barn, on the Roller Coaster Road in Know Township, was built in 1840. We're not sure who the owner is today. The main purpose for it being built in this shape is for better circulation throughout the inside of the barn.
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