Barns: Double-pen BarnDuring his investigation in southern Indiana, Warren located 35 examples of the double-crib log barn, so-named because it consists of two single-crib units joined by an open passageway. These barns were quite large, with an average size of 49 feet in length, 22 feet in width, and 12 feet in height. Warren notes that the largest barn he encountered was 72 feet long, while five others were over 60 feet long. Many farmers extended their original size by building frame sheds on all four sides. "Most double-crib barns have a dirt floor in the
passageway between the two log cribs. The farmer was able to
drive his loaded hay wagon into this passageway and to pitch
the hay up into the large lofts over the log cribs. When
these areas were full, he could move timbers across the top
of the passageway and use that area for hay storage as well.
Six of the thirty-five barns, however, have wooden floors in
the passageway. These floors, sometimes called 'tramping
floors,' could be used for threshing. Wheat and other grain
stored in one of the log cribs could be pitched out onto the
wooden floor and threshed as needed. Usually one of the log
cribs was used for stabling animals and the frame sheds
surrounding the log portions of the barn were used for
miscellaneous storage. In almost two-thirds of these barns
the log cribs are of about equal size, but in a third of
them one of the cribs is quite small, seemingly built as a
corn crib." |
Single-pen barn