mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

The attached essay is by Victor Davis Hanson who usually writes about thing political. This is absolutely non-political.
I thought is would be of interest to the many on this forum who enjoy discovering and photographing old barns.
Please excuse the format which makes it a bit cumbersome to read. As a non-farm boy I found it totally fascinating

Attached file:
(Download)

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

We had a similar barn to this on my Grandparent's farm in Ballard County, Kentucky close enough to the town of Barlow, it had a Barlow Rural Route mail address. All the 6x6 main frames were hand cut with the adze marks showing, then over the years the stock/mule stalls on one side and the milking stalls on the other were redone with a mix of the hand cut and saw mill lumber. A cattle shed was added on one side and metal roofing replaced the shingles. The hay loft was still intact and in use with a beam and pulley with loft door on each end. The tobacco barn was similar except open work framing inside up to the peaked roof for hanging the tobacco to dry and the shed on the side was a "Stripping Room" to process the dried tobacco. The bottom rafters were high enough the tractor, wagons and other equipment were parked there under the hanging tobacco and it had a set of three double doors on each end for equipment access. The add-ons and repairs, including new siding in the 1920s, had been done with saw mill lumber.
My Grandma sold the farm while I was in Vietnam (66-69) and moved into town when she got too old to live alone and supervise the people who leased the land after Granddad died. She bought a 100-year-old house next to her Brother and across the street from her Sister. For many years it had been owned by a family that ran the town telephone exchange for three generations until modern switching equipment in a building by the town firehouse replaced it. The switchboard had been in the living room. My aunt's best friend would do her homework while running the switchboard to give her mother a chance to sleep.
About 20 years ago I took my wife and kids on vacation to visit family and see my old hometown. The farm house had been spiffed up, the shade trees and the nut and fruit orchards had been cut down. All the old wooden buildings, including the two barns, 3 chicken houses, smoke house, tool shed/garage, corn crib, small hog barn had all been torn down and replaced with a sheet metal barn and sheet metal tool shed/garage.

I do wish I had been able to buy the place when I came back from Nam. I probably would have tried to preserve and restore everything. Grandma's family had settled there in 1791 with land grants in payment for government bonds from the Revolution.

I liked the Ode so much I put in the time to edit it and make it a pdf, much easier to read. I hope you don't mind MrSpock. Nex project for me is watch a bunch of Star Treks I recorded off cable.

Attached file:
(Download)

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Great read!

LovetheMts Loc: Adirondacks

Yes, a great read - I wish I had gone on to Robert Jerl's version before I took the time to read mr spock's version.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

My apologies. I unsuccessfully tried to convert to an easier read.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

I certainly don't mind. In fact, I'm happy that your conversion will possibly get more people to read it.
And thank you for your very interesting narrative. Your family has quite a history

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Wow! That is a lot of writing. I'll have to copy and save it.

I have a collapsing building in the backyard. I've been taking pictures of its decline for years. When it finally collapses, I'll post some pictures.

mr spock Loc: Fairfield CT

Well worth the lengthy read Jerry..

whatdat Loc: Del Valle, Tx.

Fantastic article! Well worth the time reading it.

LovetheMts Loc: Adirondacks

Please - no need for an apology - if I knew how to add emojis I would have added a winky smiley face to my comment. I was laughing at myself for not noticing the next post after spending the time with my nose up near the screen. I was determined to read it because I read anything by VDH. Thanks again for posting this.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Practice from all the years of research for lesson plans.

First I tried to post it as a reply, too big, so I went the attachment route.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Emojis are easy, just look below the text box when you "quote reply" and click on your choice of 26. Only UHH calls them "smiley".