The Great American Barn
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Rural Architecture

The Great American Barn, also, Rural Architecture. . , The Great American Barn , Rustic barns... tall silos... the Great Plains evoke nostalgic images of rural life. The disappearance of these farming icons reminds us of the changing nature of agriculture , as large farming operations gradually replace small family farms., Fortunately for the traveler who enjoys historic architecture, the Sheyenne River Valley retains some of the signature elements of the old-style rural landscape., Captions , North Dakota's oldest style of barn roof is the simple gable. Photo courtesy of Becky Heise. , Over time, farmers shifted to the more space-efficient gambrel roof-recognizable as the "typical" American Barn roof. Photo courtesy of Becky Heise. , Also popular was the gothic barn roof available through mail-order firms such as Sears, Roebuck and Co, with expanded loft space for hay and storage. Photo courtesy of Becky Heise. , Today the traditional wooden barn has been replaced by the metal shed , efficient, but rather unromantic. Photo courtesy of Daryl Heise. , Silos are the cylinder-shaped structures often found next to barns. They were, and sometimes still are, used for grain or feed storage. Silos are usually made of concrete or ceramic block. More rarely, they are brick or wood. Photo courtesy of Barnes County Historical Society , Rural Architecture , Many of the small farms in the Sheyenne River Valley retain some of their old-style outbuildings and residences. As you travel the Byway, watch for these rural icons , many are still in use after withstanding decades of North Dakota sun, wind, and weather., Captions , Traditional farmhouses favor a Victorian style with gable fronts and open porches-although most of the vintage houses remaining today have had their porches enclosed Outhouses were once common on forms and homesteads.Photo courtesy of Daryl Heise. Photos courtesy of Becky Heise. , Many farms sell have granaries, though most are now used for general storage, rather than for grain. These wooden buildings often have large side-opening doors. Traditionally grain was hand-shoveled into the building through the open doors through small metal hatches on the roof, or through small wood doors in the gable ends. Government regulations no longer allow the use of wooden granaries. Steel grain bins, resembling short, steel silos are now used., Photo courtesy of Becki Heise. , Some modern farms still use wind power to pump water for livestock. Old-style windmills generate by roughly 2 to 8 horsepower (1 1/2 to 6 kilowatts) Photos courtesy of Becki Heise. , This is a typical complex. Each building has a specific purpose. Photo courtesy of Barnes County Soil Conservation District