Rebecca Rankin Round Barn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Rebecca Rankin Round Barn
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View from State Road 18
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 Location in Indiana
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Poling, Indiana |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1908 |
| Architect | Benton Steele, Cameron Watt |
| Architectural style | True-circular barn |
| MPS | Round and Polygonal Barns of Indiana MPS |
| NRHP reference No. | 93000189 |
| Added to NRHP | April 2, 1993 |
The Rebecca Rankin Round Barn is a special old barn in the state of Indiana, United States. It's located along State Road 18 in the northern part of Jay County. This barn is one of many round barns built in Indiana during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Its unique circular shape and history make it a recognized historic site.
Contents
Why Round Barns Were Built
Around the late 1800s, farmers started building round barns. This became practical because of new inventions, like circular silos with elevators. Silos are tall structures used to store animal feed.
Benefits of Round Barns
Magazines helped spread the word about these new ideas. Farmers learned that building barns around their silos was a smart idea. Round barns were also more efficient. Farmers didn't have to walk as far to feed their animals because everything was closer together in a circle.
Many farmers and university experts in different states liked the idea of round barns. Because of this, 152 round barns were built in Indiana between 1889 and 1936. By the 1990s, 77 of these unique barns were still standing.
The Rankin Barn's Story
The Rankin Barn was built in 1908. This was during the time when many round barns were being constructed. It was built under the guidance of Benton Steele and Cameron Watt.
Design and Location
The barn is a simple wooden building. It has windows near its roof peak and a silo right next to it. It sits along State Road 18 in northeastern Penn Township. It is located east of Fiat and northeast of Pennville.
Another round barn was also built in Jay County. It is called the Holdcraft Round Barn. It was built in 1913 along what is now State Road 1.
Historic Recognition
In 1985, officials who work to preserve historic places looked at all the old buildings in Jay County. The Rankin Barn was one of nearly 750 places in the county that they found to be historic. It was also one of only 82 places to be given the highest rank, called "outstanding."
In 1993, the Rankin Barn was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. The Rankin Barn is one of only eight places in Jay County to receive this special recognition.
