J. C. Adams Stone Barn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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J. C. Adams Stone Barn
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Front entrance to Adam's Stone Barn
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| Location | Northeast of Sun River, Montana, off U.S. Route 89 |
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| Built | 1885 |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001399 |
The J. C. Adams Stone Barn is a historic and unique building made of stone and wood. It's located about 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Sun River, Montana, in the United States. This special barn is built in the Romanesque Revival style. It's the only stone barn of its kind west of the Mississippi River.
Experts from the Montana Historical Society call the Adams Stone Barn "one of Montana's most-beloved and best-known landmark barns." Because it's so important, the barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 12, 1979. This means it's officially recognized as a place worth protecting for future generations.
Contents
The Barn's Amazing History
Who Was J.C. Adams?
James Calvin Adams was born in Morgan County, Kentucky, in 1846. He grew up working on his family's farm. Sadly, he became an orphan when he was young. At 16, he was briefly held during the American Civil War.
After the war, Adams moved to the Montana Territory in 1863. He traveled up the Missouri River by steamboat. For several years, he worked hauling supplies. In 1874, he settled in Sun River, Montana. There, he started the Sun River Ranch. He raised cattle, horses, and sheep. He sold them to the United States Army at nearby Fort Shaw. Adams also opened stores and became one of the richest landowners in the area by 1882.
Building a "Marvel of Montana"
J.C. Adams started building his famous stone barn in 1882. He hired two Swedish stonemasons and a Canadian foreman named William Bruce. Adams spent over $10,000 on the barn, which was a huge amount of money back then!
The large, curved stone arches for the barn were brought all the way from St. Louis, Missouri. They were shipped by steamboat to Fort Benton. After almost three years, the barn was finished. The local newspaper, the Sun River Press, called it the "Marvel of Montana." To celebrate, Adams even held a roller skating party on the barn's second floor!
What Was the Barn Used For?
The main part of the barn was used to keep cattle. The west side had stalls for horses and stored their gear. The east side was a garage for wagons. It also had a cool room for storing meat. The second floor was mainly for storing hay.
But the barn was more than just a farm building! People held dances there, and it sometimes provided lodging for travelers. Two of Adams' workers even started a buggy repair business in the barn in 1885. Soldiers from Fort Shaw often came to the barn for roller skating parties and formal events. The barn's large meat locker also stored meat for the fort.
New Owners and a Barn in Need
J.C. Adams passed away in 1913. His wife couldn't afford the farm's taxes. In 1920, Fred A. Woehner bought the ranch. Later, in 1939, C.A. Christensen, whose family owned a nearby ranch, bought it. The Christensen family used the barn for their dairy cattle. In 1973, Harold Poulsen, a lumber and hardware store owner, bought the ranch.
Around the same time, Mike and Teresa Stuckslager became interested in the barn's history. They moved to Montana in 1973. For six years, they researched the barn and the Adams family. They helped show how important the barn was historically.
By 1979, the barn was in bad shape. The front stone wall was leaning, most windows were broken, and the roof was falling apart. The local newspaper, the Great Falls Tribune, said it was close to "near-certain collapse."
Saving the Stone Barn
Mike Stuckslager helped get the barn added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. The Stuckslagers talked to Harold Poulsen about fixing the barn. Poulsen agreed and created a nonprofit group called the Dracut Junction Stone Barn Co. This group took ownership of the barn.
In 1980, the nonprofit received a $79,000 grant. This money helped make big improvements. The roof was fixed, new windows were put in, and the second floor was made stronger. The leaning front wall was straightened, and all the walls were reinforced. Many local volunteers helped with the work. Another $31,000 was raised locally to finish the restoration in 1981. The barn's rededication was a big event. The Montana Governor Ted Schwinden and J.C. Adams' 101-year-old daughter, Alma Adams Morgan, attended.
Later, Mike Stuckslager installed an underground power line to the barn. This allowed for electric lighting, though the power wasn't turned on inside the barn for a while.
The Sun River Valley Historical Society Steps In
In 2004, the Dracut Junction Stone Barn Co. decided to sell the barn. Mike Stuckslager had passed away in 2003. His wife, Jennifer Stuckslager Stetson, and her parents were the only board members. With a young family, Stetson found it hard to keep up with the foundation's needs.
However, the Montana State Attorney General's office explained that a nonprofit couldn't just sell its assets. It had to transfer them to another nonprofit. So, in 2005, the Sun River Valley Historical Society agreed to take over the Adams Stone Barn as a gift.
At the time of the transfer, the barn still needed more work. Wooden window frames were rotting, the roof needed repairs, and the building had been vandalized. It also lacked heating, making it very hot in summer and cold in winter. The barn also didn't have much land around it, which made it harder to protect.
By 2007, the Sun River Valley Historical Society had reorganized the Dracut Junction Stone Barn Co. They formed a new board. They also created a for-profit group, the J.C. Adams Stone Barn Co. This group's goal was to promote the barn as an event venue to raise money for its upkeep. In November 2007, they received a $10,000 grant. This money was used to fix broken windows, repair damaged frames, and make emergency roof repairs.
More renovations happened in May 2008. The group received more grants and donations. This allowed them to replace the entire roof of the barn. Electrical work was also done, finally allowing power to be turned on inside the barn. The nonprofit planned to raise more money to replace all the windows.
By July 2008, they were still trying to figure out the best use for the barn. Board members thought an agricultural use would be ideal. In 2009, they received another grant to fix a settling issue in the barn's northeast corner.
About the Barn's Design
We don't know who designed the Adams Stone Barn. But its style is mostly Romanesque Revival. It also has design features similar to barns built by wealthy horse breeders in Kentucky during the mid-1800s.
The barn is 140 feet (43 m) long and 40 feet (12 m) wide. It has a central building with two wings that stick out slightly. The roof has gables and three vents. The central vent is much taller than the others. It used to have a life-sized iron-reinforced wooden horse weathervane on top.
Large, arched doorways are in the middle of the main building and each wing. Above these doorways are double doors for accessing the hayloft. Unlike most barns, the Adams Stone Barn has a formal staircase to the hayloft. This is because it was meant to be a public meeting place, not just for storage.
The front of the barn is made of sandstone. This stone was dug up nearby and cut by hand right at the building site. The side walls are made of cement and rubble stone. The back wall is wood. The second floor has long strips of hardwood. The roof was originally covered with hand-cut cedar shingles.
By 2008, the original horse weathervane was too old and fragile to stay on the roof. It was carefully removed and put on display inside the barn. A new replica was placed on top of the central vent.
