Ron George Round Barn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Ron George Round Barn
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Ron George Round Barn in 2011
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 Location in Illinois
Location in the United States
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| Location | Will County, Illinois, USA |
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| Nearest city | Romeoville |
| Architectural style | Round barns |
| MPS | MPL001 - Round Barns in Illinois Thematic Resources |
| NRHP reference No. | 82000401 |
| Added to NRHP | December 7, 1982 |
The Ron George Round Barn is a unique old barn located near Romeoville, Illinois, in the USA. It was first built around 1912 or 1913 for Frank Eaton. This special barn is known for its round shape, which was a popular design for barns a long time ago.
A Look at This Historic Barn
The Barn's Story
A man named Wilbur J. Fraser helped design many round barns in Illinois. He encouraged his brother-in-law, Frank Eaton, to build this round barn. At that time, Eaton lived in Plainfield.
The barn cost about $1,500 to build. It had space for nine horses and might have held cows too. The barn was named after Eaton's young grandson, Ron George. Later, Ron George owned the barn and took care of it until the 1970s.
Why It's Special
In December 1982, the Ron George Round Barn was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a special list of places in the USA that are important to history. The National Park Service keeps this list.
In 1998, people wanted to save the barn from being torn down. So, it was carefully taken apart and moved to another spot in Bolingbrook. The barn was then put back together in 2007, making sure it looked just like it used to.
What It Looks Like
The Ron George Round Barn is about 60 feet wide. It sits on a strong concrete base. The roof has a single-hip design and is covered with wooden shingles.
Inside, there is a central silo that is shaped like an oval. You can get to the silo from the barn's upper level, called the loft. A small, decorative tower called a cupola sits about 60 feet above the ground. The main door of the barn was originally on its northwest side. The barn still uses its original building materials.
The round design of barns was thought to be more efficient than the usual rectangular barns. This means they were easier to work in and saved space.
