Since territorial days, agriculture has been an important and vital aspect of life in Indiana. Developments in the field gradually transformed agriculture from a way of life into an agribusiness, thus positioning agriculture in the mainstream U.S. economy. One of the phenomena that developed as a result of agriculture's evolution was the practice of constructing round and polygonal barns. Such structures were intended to increase the efficiency and thus economic return for the farmers.Between the years 1850 and 1936, some 222 round and polygonal barns were built in the state of Indiana, probably more than in any other state in the Union. Today, only 110 of the barns remain and three to four are destroyed annually. The reasons for the destruction of these agricultural icons are varied but often new machinery and farm practices have rendered the barns obsolete. Additionally, in these economic times, many owners cannot justify spending the money to restore what they consider to be interesting but impractical structures.A large number of owners, however, are interested in saving their round or polygonal barns but are uninformed as to where to turn for help. Therefore, it is necessary to give the barn owners guidance on the qualifications for the Investment Tax Credit Prcgram. These farmers want to know what actions the state and federal agency consider in keeping with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and what the process entails.In response to this issue, this creative project will deal with preservation planning for Indiana's round and polygonal barns. The method of investigation will consist of documenting the overall history of the barns, compiling a survey of the barns that remain and developing a usable preservation plan. This plan will deal with specifics as to suitable replacement materials for roofs and walls, adapting interior spaces to accommodate modern uses and an explanation of the application process for the Investment Tax Credit program. The research and suitability analysis will be developed in conjunction with authorities at the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, specifically Frank Hurdis and David Kroll.In summary, I feel strongly that my chosen field of preservation needs to address the problem of saving structures in a more proactive way. Preservationists have been accused, justifiably so, of merely asking for people to spend vast sums of money to save structures but not offering any viable action plan. I feel that this document is at least a step in the direction of giving these round and polygonal barn owners a practical and understandable guide for saving an important part of our heritage. / Department of Architecture
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BSU/oai:cardinalscholar.bsu.edu:handle/184538 |
| Date | January 1992 |
| Creators | McMahan, Jerry D. |
| Contributors | Hermansen, David R. |
| Source Sets | Ball State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Format | iv, 377 leaves : ill., maps ; 28 cm. |
| Source | Virtual Press |
| Coverage | n-us-in |
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