The
classic American style barn that we all know so well is called the Prairie
Barn. These large barns were originally built to store large quantities of hay
and other farming materials, catering for the ever growing cattle population in
America in the early 19th century. Prairie Barns share many of the features
that can be found in Dutch Barns that were used by many of the first settlers
in America.
The
Prairie Barn is often painted red and white for a number of reasons. Many
farmers would add rust to their linseed oil wood sealant mixture to prevent
moss and fungi from growing on their barns. Also, around the time that these
barns first become popular additions to larger farms, red paint was the
cheapest available at the time and set a trend that is still at large today.
The
Bank barn, which is similar but more rectangular, is another common sight on
American farms. Its two level design allows cattle and livestock to be housed
on the lower level with large storage capacity on the upper level. These were
popular on smaller livestock farms where a hill or mount was present. When no
geographical hill or mound was available, many farmers built the bank itself
for the purpose of making a bank barn.
Crib
barns have traditionally featured on smaller farms where storage capacity was
needed to cohabitate with livestock. These smaller barns allow a living quarter
for up to six animals - usually horses - while the upper levels are used for
the storage of food or other farm materials. Many farmers convert these into
stables as they’re quite similar.
Many
of these different barn types are cropping up all over the country and with so
many different uses for them, you can see why. With huge storage capacity sited
on a relatively small area footprint, the Prairie barn is a great addition to
any farm. It offers farmers an excellent space for a work house that doubles up
as storage throughout the year, making it both an icon of American farming
history and an efficient working building that has stood the test of time.
