Dunn/Tirk Log Barn

Dunn/Tirk Log Barn. . One of the last log structures in the area, the log barn is a rare example of 19th-century Tarrant County architecture. This double-crib barn uses a dog-run plan, consisting of two log cribs separated by an open, roofed runway for wagons. Hay was unloaded directly from the wagons into the cribs. The logs in this type of structure typically touched only at the corners; adobe "chinking" was used to fill the gaps for weatherproofing., The barn was originally located on property bordered by John McCain and Pleasant Run roads. Its construction has been attributed to pioneer settler William M. Dunn, who farmed the property from 1875 until 1890. The property was acquired by Anton and Frances Gadja Tirk in 1925; they relocated the barn within the property boundaries. The Tirk family used the barn for hay storage to support their dairy operations. Roy and Lydia Tirk Alholm lived on the property from 1964 to 2004., The crib to the right is characterized by irregular logs and saddle notches at the corners; while the crib on the left features planked logs, joined at the corners by skillfully hewn dovetail notches. The different construction methods between the two cribs may be the result of its relocation and renovation., The barn was fully restored to ensure its preservation and moved to its current location in 2007.