Christopher C. Walker House and Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Christopher C. Walker House and Farm
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Walker's farmhouse and sheds
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | Harrison Township, Darke County |
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| Nearest city | New Madison, Ohio |
| Area | 151.7 acres (61.4 ha) |
| Built | 1879 |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate, Victorian |
| NRHP reference No. | 82003561 |
| Added to NRHP | April 7, 1982 |
The Christopher C. Walker House and Farm is a special old farm in Ohio. It's located in Harrison Township, near the town of New Madison. This historic farm has five buildings and another structure spread across a large area. It was added to a list of important places in 1982.
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Meet Christopher Walker
Christopher Walker was a very important farmer in Darke County in the late 1800s. He was born in Baltimore County, Maryland in 1829. Christopher moved to Darke County with his parents.
In 1851, he started helping to run a local store in Braffettsville. He did this for most of the next ten years. During this time, he married Mary Brawley. By 1858, Christopher decided he didn't want to be a storekeeper anymore. He sold his part of the store and started farming. In 1862, he bought this farm in Harrison Township.
A Farmer's Life
From the very beginning, Christopher Walker focused on raising animals. From 1862 to 1866, he worked with his brothers to sell hogs. When that business didn't work out, he decided to raise his own animals.
By 1880, his farm had grown much larger. It was about 625 acres (253 ha) in total. This included land in Preble County and other parts of Harrison Township. The biggest part, about 400 acres (160 ha), was around his farmhouse.
A Special Farmhouse and Barn
Two buildings on the farm are very well-known: the barn, built in 1879, and the house, built in 1884.
The Barn
The barn is quite large, measuring 60 feet (18 m) by 48 feet (15 m). It was designed in an "L" shape. This special shape made it easier to raise animals. One person even said it was the best barn they had ever seen!
The Farmhouse
The farmhouse was also built to be very comfortable for the people living there. It mixes different styles of architecture, including Victorian, Second Empire, and Italianate. The house has a tall tower with a special kind of roof called a Mansard roof. It sits on a small hill, looking over State Route 121.
Why This Farm is Important
The Walker farm is still an important landmark today. Its fancy 1800s buildings look very different from the simpler, more modern farms around it.
In 1982, the farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. The farm was added because its old buildings are well-preserved. It was also recognized for its role in local history. Christopher Walker's work in farming, especially raising hogs, helped make Darke County one of the best places in Ohio for this type of farming. The farm buildings were a key part of his success.
