Trimborn Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Trimborn Farm
|
|
Trimborn limestone barn
|
|
| Location | Greendale, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1846 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000170 |
| Added to NRHP | 1980-07-31 |
Trimborn Farm is a historic farm from the Victorian era located in Greendale, Wisconsin. It is owned by Milwaukee County and is a really cool place to visit! The farm covers about 7.5 acres and has nine old buildings. It's so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's a special place worth protecting. It's also a State Historic Site and a Milwaukee County Landmark.
Contents
The Farm's Story
Early Days and Lime Production
Around 1846, a man named Jeremiah O'Donnell built special ovens called lime kilns at the farm. These kilns were used to heat limestone and turn it into lime powder. Lime was a very important material back then, used for building and farming.
In 1851, Werner Trimborn and Jacob Kier bought O'Donnell's lime business. Jacob Kier left soon after, but Werner Trimborn and his family kept the business going. They became one of the biggest producers of high-quality lime in Wisconsin! In the 1870s, the farm was huge, covering over 500 acres, and nearly 40 people worked there.
Changes Over Time
As the 1900s began, new building materials like Portland cement became popular. This meant that lime wasn't needed as much. So, the Trimborn estate was divided up and sold off. Much of it went to the Theodore Vollmer family, who used it for dairy farming.
Later, in 1919, the Froemming family bought a large part of the land to build greenhouses. Some of this land was later given to Whitnall Park.
In 1935, the farm and about 3,400 acres of land around it were bought by the government. This was part of a plan to create a new farming community called the Greendale Project. Today, this area is the village of Greendale, Wisconsin.
After the Great Depression, the remaining farmland became private property. It was used for things like crop dusting and even a riding stable.
What You Can See at Trimborn Farm Today
Today, the nine historic buildings and the land that remain are part of the Milwaukee County Parks System. With help from the Milwaukee County Historical Society, lots of fun community events and activities happen here all year!
Here are some of the cool buildings you can explore:
- Farmhouse — This house was built in the 1850s in a style called Greek Revival. It's made from special light-colored bricks called Cream City brick, which were made right here in the Milwaukee area.
- Granary — Also built in the 1850s, this building has a unique inside wall technique called "brick noggin" to keep the air out. It was used as a place for workers to sleep and to store grain.
- Lime Kilns — These four ovens were built in the 1840s and 1850s. They were used to heat limestone from a nearby quarry and turn it into lime powder.
- Stone Barn — This big barn was built in three stages starting in 1858, using limestone from the quarry. Later, in 1920, two concrete silos were added.
- Threshing Barn — Built in 1858, this barn has vertical wooden siding. It was used to store grain and house animals.
Right next to the farm complex is the Jeremiah Curtin House. This unique stone house was where a famous American linguist and storyteller, Jeremiah Curtin, grew up. It was later sold to the Trimborn family.
