Michaels Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Michaels Farm
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Southern side and front of the farmhouse on a winter evening
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7249 State Route 635, south of Kansas |
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| Area | 79.7 acres (32.3 ha) |
| Built | 1878 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 79001943 |
| Added to NRHP | November 29, 1979 |
The Michaels Farm is a special old farm in the northwestern part of Ohio. It's called a historic homestead because it has been home to the same families for almost 200 years! The farm has simple, old buildings that show different styles of architecture. Because of its long history and well-preserved buildings, it has been named a historic site.
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A Farm's Long History
The land around Michaels Farm, in a place called Liberty Township, had very good soil for farming. Many farmers came here early on. The township was officially set up in 1832.
One of the first towns in the area was Kansas, which was planned in 1855. By this time, many early settler families were successful farmers. The Michaels family was one of them. John Michaels was one of the first people to settle in this area. His family lived on a farm south of Kansas, on a road now known as State Route 635.
Who Owned the Land?
John Michaels was not the very first owner of the land. The farm was already being used for growing crops by 1829. But John Michaels and his family officially bought the land in the 1830s.
His family members and another related family, the Dickens, kept owning and running the farm for a very long time. They continued to farm the land into the late 1900s. Because the same families owned the farm for so long, you can see how building styles changed over the years. The buildings on the farm today were built at different times and show various architectural styles.
What You'll Find at the Farm
The farm has nine buildings in total. Six of these are old, historic buildings, and three are newer.
The Farmhouse
The most important building is the farmhouse. It was built in the 1870s and is made of brick. It has two stories and a special roof called a hip roof. This roof is supported by decorative brackets, which are like fancy supports. The house also has an ornamental cornice, which is a decorative molding along the top of the walls. This style is known as Italianate.
Other Farm Buildings
Some of the other buildings on the farm are even older than the farmhouse. These include simpler barns made of wood. They show elements of the Greek Revival style. Even an old outdoor toilet, called a privy, is still there!
Why Michaels Farm is Special
In 1979, Michaels 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 old buildings on the farm were called contributing properties. This means they help make the farm historically important. The newer buildings were not considered contributing.
Michaels Farm is the only place in Liberty Township that has this special historic title. However, more than 40 other places in Seneca County are also on the National Register.
The farm was added to the list for a few main reasons. First, the same families used it for farming for over 150 years. Second, many old farm buildings survived in good condition. They show what farming life was like long ago.
