Tyden Farm No. 6 Farmstead Historic District facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tyden Farm No. 6 Farmstead
Historic District |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 1145 300th St. |
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| Nearest city | Dougherty, Iowa |
| Area | 7.1 acres (2.9 ha) |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals |
| NRHP reference No. | 09000401 |
| Added to NRHP | June 11, 2009 |
The Tyden Farm No. 6 Farmstead Historic District is a special old farm located near Dougherty, Iowa, in the United States. It's considered a historic place because it shows how farming used to be done a long time ago. This farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2009. This means it's an important site that helps us understand history.
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What You'll Find at Tyden Farm
When this farm was recognized as historic, it had many interesting parts. There were eight important buildings and two important structures. These buildings and structures help tell the story of the farm.
Here are some of the main historic buildings:
- The farmhouse, built in 1910, was where the farm family lived.
- A wash house from around 1910 was used for laundry and possibly as a summer kitchen.
- An auto garage from 1936 stored cars and other vehicles.
- A very large barn with a special gambrel roof, built in 1936, was used for animals and crops.
- A feed shed and a machine shed, both from 1936, stored animal feed and farm equipment.
- A hen house from 1940 was home to chickens.
- A hog house from 1941 was where pigs were kept.
The two important structures are:
- A unique drive-through corn crib from 1936, used for drying and storing corn.
- A water tower from around 1920, which supplied water to the farm.
The main farmhouse is a two-story building. It has a hip roof and a unique wing on one side. This wing held the kitchen downstairs and a bedroom upstairs.
The Story of Emil Tyden
This farm was one of eight farms owned by a man named Emil Tyden. He owned farms in Floyd and Butler Counties in Iowa. Emil Tyden was originally from Sweden. He moved to Moline, Illinois, in 1882.
Emil Tyden's Invention
Emil Tyden once worked for the Union Pacific Railroad. He noticed that the way boxcars were sealed was not very good. So, he invented something called the "Tyden Self-Locking Seal." This was a special device that could not be tampered with. It fit any boxcar locking system.
His invention was very successful, and he made a lot of money from it. He even opened a factory in Hastings, Michigan.
Tyden's Iowa Farms
Even though he lived in Michigan, Emil Tyden started buying farms in North Central Iowa in 1915. Over time, he owned almost 2,500 acres (1,000 ha) of farmland. He hired people to live on and manage each farm. He also hired other workers to help operate them.
Emil Tyden was very modern for his time. He updated his farms and used new farming methods. These methods were taught by Iowa State College in Ames. They used science and technology to make farming better and produce more crops.
He kept improving and expanding his farms even during tough economic times. This included the 1920s and the Great Depression. Tyden bought Farm No. 6 in 1936 and started making improvements there.
In 1941, after the harvest, he changed his farming approach. He let go of all his employees and leased his farms to other farmers. These farmers then ran the farms as they thought best.
Emil Tyden passed away in 1951. He still owned Farm No. 6 at that time. The farm stayed in his family until 1994. Today, this historic farm is part of the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area. It now offers farming exhibits and tours for visitors to learn about its history.
