Heading South out of Carrollton on HGY 67 turn east down Kane Road go through Kane Barn will be on South side of Road.

This New England bay Barn was believed to have been built in the 1870’s or 1880’s because of the louvered porthole windows which were a typical style of that time. It would have been used for the stabling and caring of livestock. There are four round windows neatly placed under the eaves of both long sides and an additional one in the gable end.

The barn is timber framed and made of circular sawn oak and mortise and tenon pinned joints. It has a stone foundation and vertical board and batten siding covering the exterior. Not counting the sixteen foot lean-to on the south gable end, it has four bays in the interior. The second bay would have been used as a driveway where vehicles would have entered and the overhead area was opened to allow the easy passing of hay from racks to the upper loft area.

Above the driveway is a 6 foot partial loft area with large double hinged “Dutch Doors” extending four feet above the partial loft floor. Hay could easily be tossed from this opening to the waiting barnyard animals below. The opposite west end of the driveway would also have had hinged doors but have since been replaced with large sliding doors. Within one side of the sliding door, there is a small walk through door that would have been used for quick entrance. This was called a “door within a door” and is found on many barns in the Illinois area.

It is not known if it was there when the barn was originally constructed, but there is an overhead steel track with a carrier for hay and one harpoon hay fork. It would have been used to carry the hay to the loft. At some point, there was a hay door added to the north end gable side and the track extended beyond this opening for racks to pull alongside. This would explain why there is a missing porthole window on this side.

When you look upon the round openings of the barn, it is hard to imagine how they would have been constructed so well in a time where tools were limited. However, the windows were deceiving as farmers and craftsmen typically used a rectangular frame work with a round opening on the exterior and a square cut louver.

The four original bay areas would have stored two sections for livestock stabling and two for driveway access. The second driveway was converted at some point to additional livestock stabling when the need for extra space increased. The sixteen foot lean-to was also added later  for the housing of livestock and feed.

When you happen upon this  beautiful property, it is amazing how well kept this barn has been. Well over 120 years old and still a monument to ingenious design. It is a testament that form and function can work together. It is a great example of how historic structures can maintain there usefulness.

Featured on this barn is the Card Trick quilt pattern. A nine panel pattern known for its tricky design but easy construction.  This Quilt is Sponsored by United Community Bank of Greenfield.

Quilt 3 Hanneken Barn