Dennis Otte Round Barn
Encyclopedia
The 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 (16.5 m). The barn is representative of the last round barn design variations that evolved. The Otte Round Barn was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
in 1984.
in Stephenson County, Illinois
, United States
. Richards' father had a round barn previously erected.
and stands upon a poured concrete
foundation. The barn's main entrance is found in its east quadrant, where it faces due east. The door opens into a central crib which bisects the building. Animal stalls are arranged on either side of the crib in a semi circular pattern, they are divided with hewn and sawed posts which support a concentric
loft
plate with a radius of about 27 feet (8.2 m). The single hip roof
is supported 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. This is similar to the nearby Gerald Harbach Round Barn. The wooden shingled
roof is capped by a short, squat cupola
. The loft plate, the flooring and the loft piers were all constructed from previously used materials.
The Dennis Otte Round Barn is one of 31 round barn
s that were constructed in a four county area, the Stephenson County area, that includes Winnebago County
, Stephenson County and Rock
and Green
Counties in Wisconsin
. Twenty one of those barns, including the Otte Round Barn are within Stephenson County.
While the design of the Otte Round Barn is consistent with the designs found during the second phase of Stephenson County, Illinois
round barn construction it does have key differences which set it apart from other similar barns. Similarities are found in the single hip roof, the squat cupola and the special rafter bracing technique. The use of salvaged materials reflects the Depression era economy during which the Otte Round Barn was constructed. These characteristic reflect the last design variation found in Stephenson County round barns. The Otte 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 unincorporated 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...
community of Eleroy
Eleroy, Illinois
Eleroy is an unincorporated community in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 85 at the 2000 census.-External links:*...
. The barn was built in 1930 by Herman Altenbern and has a diameter of 54 feet (16.5 m). The barn is representative of the last round barn design variations that evolved. The Otte 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...
in 1984.
History
The Dennis Otte Round Barn was built in 1930 by Herman Altenbern for Carl Richards near the community of EleroyEleroy, Illinois
Eleroy is an unincorporated community in Stephenson County, Illinois, United States. The population was 85 at the 2000 census.-External links:*...
in Stephenson County, Illinois
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...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Richards' father had a round barn previously erected.
Architecture
The Dennis Otte Round Barn is 54 feet (16.5 m) in 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...
and stands upon a poured concrete
Concrete
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. The barn's main entrance is found in its east quadrant, where it faces due east. The door opens into a central crib which bisects the building. Animal stalls are arranged on either side of the crib in a semi circular pattern, they are divided with hewn and sawed posts which support a concentric
Concentric
Concentric objects share the same center, axis or origin with one inside the other. Circles, tubes, cylindrical shafts, disks, and spheres may be concentric to one another...
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...
plate with a radius of about 27 feet (8.2 m). 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 supported 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. This is similar to the nearby Gerald Harbach Round Barn. The wooden shingled
Wood shingle
Wood shingles are roof shingles made of cut wood, used for roofing material. Such roofing material made from split wood is referred to as "shakes"....
roof is capped by a short, squat 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....
. The loft plate, the flooring and the loft piers were all constructed from previously used materials.
Significance
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...
s that were constructed in a four county area, the Stephenson County area, that includes Winnebago County
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...
, Stephenson County and 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 Otte Round Barn are within Stephenson County.
While the design of the Otte Round Barn is consistent with the designs found during the second phase of Stephenson County, Illinois
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...
round barn construction it does have key differences which set it apart from other similar barns. Similarities are found in the single hip roof, the squat cupola and the special rafter bracing technique. The use of salvaged materials reflects the Depression era economy during which the Otte Round Barn was constructed. These characteristic reflect the last design variation found in Stephenson County round barns. The Otte 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
- Charles Fehr Round BarnCharles Fehr Round BarnThe 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...
- 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...