Kuykendall Polygonal Barn
Encyclopedia
The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was an early 20th-century polygonal
barn
in the South Branch Potomac River valley near Romney
in Hampshire County
, West Virginia
. The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was the only 15-sided barn built in West Virginia, and one of only a few such known to have been constructed in the United States
. The barn utilized a number of sophisticated technological innovations not found in West Virginia's other round and polygonal barns. The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
on 9 July 1985.
to Henry Van Meter in 1749, the property then passed to Abraham Van Meter in 1804, to William Millar in 1833, to Thomas French and George Stump in 1845, to James Stump in 1870, and then to Robert White, trustee to James Sloan in 1879. Sloan passed the farm to his daughter Hannah, wife of William Kuykendall, in 1882. The property remained in the Kuykendall family until 1966 when C. Ellis Hood of Woodsboro
, Maryland
purchased the farm from the estate of Edith Kuykendall. The farmhouse on the property dates from the mid-18th-century.
The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was built around 1906 by the Kuykendall family on their farm. The chief carpenter in its construction was John Clowser.
The barn collapsed during a storm in 2005. Restoration efforts are on hold.
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...
barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
in the South Branch Potomac River valley near Romney
Romney, West Virginia
Romney is a city in and the county seat of Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States. The population was 1,940 at the 2000 census, while the area covered by the city's ZIP code had a population of 5,873. It is a city with a very historic background dating back to the 18th century...
in Hampshire County
Hampshire County, West Virginia
Hampshire County is a county located in the U.S. state of West Virginia. As of 2010, the population was 23,964. Its county seat is Romney, West Virginia's oldest town . Hampshire County was created by the Virginia General Assembly on December 13, 1753, from parts of Frederick and Augusta counties ...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was the only 15-sided barn built in West Virginia, and one of only a few such known to have been constructed in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The barn utilized a number of sophisticated technological innovations not found in West Virginia's other round and polygonal barns. The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was listed on the 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 9 July 1985.
History
The Kuykendall farm is one of the oldest in Hampshire County. Part of a 405 acres (1.6 km²) land grant made by Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of CameronThomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 6th Lord Fairfax of Cameron was the son of Thomas Fairfax, 5th Lord Fairfax of Cameron and of Catherine, daughter of Thomas Culpeper, 2nd Baron Culpeper of Thoresway....
to Henry Van Meter in 1749, the property then passed to Abraham Van Meter in 1804, to William Millar in 1833, to Thomas French and George Stump in 1845, to James Stump in 1870, and then to Robert White, trustee to James Sloan in 1879. Sloan passed the farm to his daughter Hannah, wife of William Kuykendall, in 1882. The property remained in the Kuykendall family until 1966 when C. Ellis Hood of Woodsboro
Woodsboro, Maryland
Woodsboro is a town in Frederick County, Maryland, United States that was granted to Joseph Wood in 1693. The population was 846 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
purchased the farm from the estate of Edith Kuykendall. The farmhouse on the property dates from the mid-18th-century.
The Kuykendall Polygonal Barn was built around 1906 by the Kuykendall family on their farm. The chief carpenter in its construction was John Clowser.
The barn collapsed during a storm in 2005. Restoration efforts are on hold.
See also
- List of historic sites in Hampshire County, West Virginia
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West VirginiaNational Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West VirginiaThis is a list of the National Register of Historic Places listings in Hampshire County, West Virginia.This is intended to be a complete list of the properties and districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Hampshire County, West Virginia, United States...