Barn

The barn at the Schumacher Homestead has an inscription stone reading 1854 set into the limestone wall on the east side, making it one of the earliest large barns in the area. It was originally built with banks on both gable ends, the east and west sides, rather than on the long side of the barn as was usual. The hay wagons would be driven in one end, the hay thrown into the mows on the sides, and then the wagons driven out the other end.

After overhead barn tracks came into use, a track was installed and a wider bank on the south side replaced the east and west banks.

According to Glenn Harper, Ohio historic preservation officer, this barn and the Isaac Neuenschwander barn, built ten years later, are the only two barns in Ohio that were built this way and then underwent the change from two banks to one.

Going into the barn, one can see the big timbers used and imagine the size of some of the trees that grew here at the time of the settlement.