Barn Renovation
Barn photo taken around 1995
Barn Renovation
We're not really sure when the barn was originally built, but it has certainly been standing since the 1920s when my grandfather Anton Rasmussen worked on the farm for William and Ida Holzberger. After marrying Edna Taggart in 1928, Anton and Edna moved onto the farm to raise a family. Except for a period of time between 1946 and 1958, the farm and its barn has been in the Rasmussen and Hindman family ever since. Since the barn was a sturdy, well-built structure, its maintenance wasn't always a high priority. However, over the years, the barn began to show its age. It was still a working barn during that time (milking cows, calving, loading cattle in/out, etc.), but the cost of putting a new roof on it was prohibitive. Once the roof started leaking (especially the north side), the interior started to deteriorate as well. If nothing was done to save it, it would go the route of so many other barns in the midwest... it would eventually fall down or be torn down. A few years back, my mom decided that she would rescue the barn. It has been a multiyear project, but progress was made. Initially, a "cradle" was built in the center of the barn to stabilize the roof. As time went on, more poles were set in the barn to shore up the other sections and the barn was straightened. After all of that work, the process of reroofing the north side was started (after tearing off the old shingles and any rotted subroofing). After that, new tin was added to the sides of the barn.
One of the first things to be added to the barn was a "cradle" to stabilize the building. While this is a recent photo (as evidenced by the obvious tin roof), it does show one of the early modifications.
South side of the barn. At this point, some work had been done to replace some of the boards, as well as having been jacked up quite a ways (as can be seen by the board along the bottom).
North side of the barn after the shingles and the rotted subroofing was removed.
Another view of the north end of the barn during roofing.
West end of barn. This side was in especially poor condition, as a cow once pushed through the wall.
East side of the barn during the adding of tin. New doors were added all around. No longer does it take a feat of strength to open a door!
More progress on the east side. Getting close.
