Cattle Barn, 1892

Cattle Barn, 1892. . The dispensation of public charity required Ohio counties to manage a large farm in order to establish financial independence from the local taxpayer. On May 3, 1892, Wood County Commissioners recognized the need for a larger barn on infirmary land and awarded local builders, Brown and Hummel, the contract to build a cattle barn at a cost of $3,035. Stonemason B.F. Van Camp was hired, at a cost of $1,034, to construct the barn's stone foundation. Additionally, Van Camp installed a tank for storing water, also known as a cistern, near the newly constructed barn. Toledo Architect S.P. Stewart drew up design plans and specifications at a cost of $80 and J.Y. Haisel was paid $30 to lay a brick floor. Upon completion, this barn was known as the largest in Wood County. , Originally, men used horses to cultivate the land until 1937 when a John Deere Model A tractor was purchased. The following year, the Wood County Commissioners approved the purchase of a grain binder. As the years progressed, farming at the infirmary was met with many challenges, including the supply of enough men to manage the acreage. Extensive farming dwindled by the late 1950s, and able-bodied infirmary residents cared more for milk cows and chickens than actual farming. , On September 8, 1965, a fire destroyed the cattle barn. , DESTROYED Fire early today destroyed a barn at the Wood County Home located on the County Home Road, southeast of Bowling Green. The Center Township Fire Department was summoned at 12:20 a.m. and the Bowling Green department at 12:32. Firemen fought the blaze for about three hours And also watered down nearby buildings. Destroyed in the fire were three steera, a pony, farm machinery, 2,500 bales of hay, 4,000 bales of straw and 2,500 bushels of oats. The barn was valued at $35,000, but no official estimate of the total damage was available. The cause of the blaze is unknown. (Sentinel Tribune staff photo)