Charles Fehr Round Barn
Encyclopedia
The Charles Fehr Round Barn is a round barn
in the U.S. state
of Illinois
near the Stephenson County
village of Orangeville
. The barn was built in 1912 by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers about one half mile from the Illinois–Wisconsin
state border. The building is the first round barn in the Stephenson County area, home to 31 round barns, to utilize the hip roof. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1984.
foundation near the Stephenson County village of Orangeville, about one half mile from the Illinois–Wisconsin state border.
round barn
included a rooftop cupola
as well as a silo
on the barn's southeast quadrant. Both of these features are no longer extant, the barn is otherwise in unaltered condition. The structure was built and designed by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers. The loft
is supported by a central concrete shaft, at its apex joist
s radiate outward from it. Access to the loft is obtained through an earthen ramp on the building's west side and the animal entrance is found on the barn's southeast side. Both entrances are covered by an overhang. The single hip roof
is braced on its interior by a 2 by 6 inch (5.1 by 15.2 cm) beam nailed to each rafter four feet (1.2 m) above, and four feet (1.2 m) below on the opposite side, the roof hip. The exterior wooden roof is covered with asphalt shingle
s and the barn's original siding has been covered with sheet metal
.
s that were constructed in a four county area, the Stephenson County area, that includes Winnebago
and Stephenson Counties as well as Rock
and Green
Counties in Wisconsin
. Twenty one of those barns, including the Fehr Round Barn are within Stephenson County.
The Fehr Round Barn illustrates the evolution of round barn design, especially in the Stephenson County area. The barn was the first in the area to be built with a hip roof
. This roof style set the structure's design apart from the typical round barn designed based on recommendations from the University of Illinois' and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
's Agricultural Experiment Station
s. The building represents the ability of local builders and designers to create their own ideas without the station's influence. The Fehr Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
on February 23, 1984 as part of a Multiple Property Submission.
Round barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
near the Stephenson County
Stephenson County, Illinois
As of the census of 2000, there were 48,979 people, 19,785 households, and 13,473 families residing in the county. The population density was 87 people per square mile . There were 21,713 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
village of Orangeville
Orangeville, Illinois
Orangeville is a village in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 793 at the 2010 census, up from 751 at the 2000 census. The area's earliest white settlers arrived in 1833 and the village was platted in 1851 by John Bower, who is considered the village founder. In 1867...
. The barn was built in 1912 by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers about one half mile from the Illinois–Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
state border. The building is the first round barn in the Stephenson County area, home to 31 round barns, to utilize the hip roof. The building was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984.
History
The Charles Fehr Round Barn was built in 1912 for Walter Knott. The building stands on a concreteConcrete
Concrete is a composite construction material, composed of cement and other cementitious materials such as fly ash and slag cement, aggregate , water and chemical admixtures.The word concrete comes from the Latin word...
foundation near the Stephenson County village of Orangeville, about one half mile from the Illinois–Wisconsin state border.
Architecture
The original design of the 56 foot (17.1 m) diameterDiameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints are on the circle. The diameters are the longest chords of the circle...
round barn
Round barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
included a rooftop cupola
Cupola
In architecture, a cupola is a small, most-often dome-like, structure on top of a building. Often used to provide a lookout or to admit light and air, it usually crowns a larger roof or dome....
as well as a silo
Storage silo
A silo is a structure for storing bulk materials. Silos are used in agriculture to store grain or fermented feed known as silage. Silos are more commonly used for bulk storage of grain, coal, cement, carbon black, woodchips, food products and sawdust. Three types of silos are in widespread use...
on the barn's southeast quadrant. Both of these features are no longer extant, the barn is otherwise in unaltered condition. The structure was built and designed by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers. The loft
Loft
A loft can be an upper story or attic in a building, directly under the roof. Alternatively, a loft apartment refers to large adaptable open space, often converted for residential use from some other use, often light industrial...
is supported by a central concrete shaft, at its apex joist
Joist
A joist, in architecture and engineering, is one of the horizontal supporting members that run from wall to wall, wall to beam, or beam to beam to support a ceiling, roof, or floor. It may be made of wood, steel, or concrete. Typically, a beam is bigger than, and is thus distinguished from, a joist...
s radiate outward from it. Access to the loft is obtained through an earthen ramp on the building's west side and the animal entrance is found on the barn's southeast side. Both entrances are covered by an overhang. The single hip roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
is braced on its interior by a 2 by 6 inch (5.1 by 15.2 cm) beam nailed to each rafter four feet (1.2 m) above, and four feet (1.2 m) below on the opposite side, the roof hip. The exterior wooden roof is covered with asphalt shingle
Asphalt shingle
An asphalt shingle is a type of roof shingle. They are one of the most widely used roofing covers because they are relatively inexpensive and fairly simple to install.-Types:...
s and the barn's original siding has been covered with sheet metal
Sheet metal
Sheet metal is simply metal formed into thin and flat pieces. It is one of the fundamental forms used in metalworking, and can be cut and bent into a variety of different shapes. Countless everyday objects are constructed of the material...
.
Significance
The Charles Fehr Round Barn is one of 31 round barnRound barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
s that were constructed in a four county area, the Stephenson County area, that includes Winnebago
Winnebago County, Illinois
Winnebago County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 295,266, which is an increase of 6.1% from 278,418 in 2000...
and Stephenson Counties as well as Rock
Rock County, Wisconsin
-Unincorporated communities:-Further reading:* . Chicago: Western Historical Company, 1879.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908.* Brown, William F. , Chicago: Cooper, 1908....
and Green
Green County, Wisconsin
Green County is a county located in the U.S. state of Wisconsin. As of 2000, the population was 33,647. Its county seat is Monroe.-Geography:According to the U.S...
Counties in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
. Twenty one of those barns, including the Fehr Round Barn are within Stephenson County.
The Fehr Round Barn illustrates the evolution of round barn design, especially in the Stephenson County area. The barn was the first in the area to be built with a hip roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
. This roof style set the structure's design apart from the typical round barn designed based on recommendations from the University of Illinois' and the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
's Agricultural Experiment Station
Agricultural experiment station
An agricultural experiment station is a research center that conducts scientific investigations to solve problems and suggest improvements in the food and agriculture industry...
s. The building represents the ability of local builders and designers to create their own ideas without the station's influence. The Fehr Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on February 23, 1984 as part of a Multiple Property Submission.
See also
- Dennis Otte Round BarnDennis Otte Round BarnThe Dennis Otte Round Barn is a round barn in the U.S. state of Illinois near the unincorporated Stephenson County community of Eleroy. The barn was built in 1930 by Herman Altenbern and has a diameter of 54 feet . The barn is representative of the last round barn design variations that evolved....
- Gerald Harbach Round BarnGerald Harbach Round BarnThe Gerald Harbach Round Barn is a round barn near Eleroy, an unincorporated community in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The builder and designer of the building are unknown but it is very similar to round barns designed by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Hass Brothers. It was...
- James Bruce Round BarnJames Bruce Round BarnThe James Bruce Round Barn is a round barn located near the Stephenson County, Illinois city of Freeport, United States. The barn was constructed in 1914 by the team of Jeremiah Shaffer and the Haas Brothers, who were responsible for at least a dozen round barns in the area...
- Robert Weber Round BarnRobert Weber Round BarnThe Robert Weber Round Barn is a round barn located east of Durand, Illinois, United States along Illinois Route 75 in Harrison Township. The Weber barn was constructed in 1917 and features a roof designed and built by the Haas Brothers, who worked on other area round barns. The barn is in...