Dairy Experimental Round Barns

Dairy Experimental Round Barns. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. These three round barns served as model dairy facilities for the University's 20-acre demonstration dairy farm developed in the early 20th century. The farm's sole purpose was to produce the largest amount of milk per acre at the lowest possible cost., Built by Wilbur J. Fraser and H.C. Crouch between 1907 and 1913, the barns were thought to require less lumber in the frame and less bracing than the traditional square and rectangular barns. The arched circular roof required no support or scaffolding during construction. And the deep silo in the center eliminated the need for a separate structure. Feeding the livestock standing in a circle facing a central silo decreased the distance to carry feed. The streamlined form of the barns enabled them to withstand the strong winds and tornadoes common on the plains., Round barns were first built by Shakers in 1824, near Hancock, Massachusetts, and reached their peak of popularity in the 1890's. Few were built after World War I when farm mechanization became more established. Today the barns are used largely for housing cattle and storing farm equipment and seed. It has been estimated that fewer than 60 round barns exist in America today., The University of Illinois Experimental Dairy Farm Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1994.