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Historic Barn Tour
Explore the historic barns, mills, and covered bridges of the Lower Delaware River Watershed
The fertile soils in the Lower Delaware River Watershed encouraged European settlers to found agricultural communities in the area that is now Hunterdon County, New Jersey, and Bucks County, Pennsylvania. These farmers brought barn-raising knowledge with them, and the barns, mills, and covered bridges in this region show this influence in their design and construction.
Many of these historic structures are within the Lower Delaware Wild and Scenic River Planning Area, a region where conservationists focus on preserving the natural qualities of the river and the historic places nearby.
Read on to learn about the design of these barns and to take a virtual tour of the barns of the Lower Delaware River Watershed.
2020 Barn Tour Driving Route
Cultural influence on barn design
The area of New Jersey along the Delaware River was at the crossroads of different cultural traditions. The population included a mixture of English, German, Holland Dutch, and English ancestry, each with their own barn-building traditions. While there are no Dutch barns on this tour, some remain within a few miles of the tour area.
As to be expected, each group learned from the others and many of the barns that remain today are some sort of hybrid of original styles. Cultural geographer Peter O. Wacker’s The Musconetcong Valley of New Jersey, written in 1968, explains that many of the features were widely adopted by all ethnic groups. Barns seem to fall into two major types: (1) the English barn and (2) the bank barn (also noted as the Pennsylvania barn).
A bank barn in Bucks County, Pennsylvania
A general description of what was traditionally called the English Barn is a single level (ground barn form) barn with the main wagon doors on the front and rear long walls. They were divided into three sections or bays. Today, this form is generally referred to as a ground barn rather than by an ethnic descriptor.
The central bay was where wagons entered the barn for unloading. The crops were stored on one or both side bays called mows. The center wagon bay is also where threshing was done. Threshing was the process of separating the usable grain seed from the useless chaff. This role is why the center bay is often called the threshing bay or threshing floor. In smaller operations, one side bay was used for housing animals and grain was stored above.
Most bank barns are what cultural geographers call the Pennsylvania Forebay Barn. The Pennsylvania barn is a two-level structure with the rear elevation banked into a natural or manmade hill called the barn bank or barn ramp. The term forebay refers to a cantilevered upper floor level extending out over the front stable wall. More recent scholarship reveals that there were a number of bank barns built by ethnic English that did not have a forebay. They are generally referred to as English Lake District barns as a number of these barns were built in the Lake District portion of Great Britain.
A variation to the Pennsylvania barn that adopted German and English barn elements is the most common form of bank barn in the region, which cultural geographer Robert Ensminger coined as the Pennsylvania Standard Barn. These barns are bank barns where the projecting forebay has been replaced by the creation of a recessed sheltered area under the front wall of the barn. To accommodate this feature, the front wall of the Standard Barn is of frame construction while the remainder of the structure is often of stone construction.
Pennsylvania Standard Barn
The upper floor level of bank barns is often of a three bay design as well. Hay mows in the end bays for crop storage flank a central threshing or wagon bay. The lower level, often called the basement, was used for the stabling of horses and cows. Invariably, where the two uses were completely separate, the side of the barn closest to the house was used for horses.
Barn tour
Follow the driving route in the map above to observe the unique barns, mills, and covered bridges of the Lower Delaware River Watershed. Remember that most of these barns are on private property -- observe the barns from the road following proper safety rules and only pull over at safe pull-off areas. Some barns on this tour have public tour options. Visit the barn websites (linked below) to learn more.
The virtual preview of the driving barn tour (below) offers a glimpse of the historic structures you'll see as you drive this area of the Delaware River Watershed.
For additional driving tours of barns on the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River in Bucks County, check out the Heritage Conservancy Barn Voyage Tours .
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1
Thompson-Neely Barn
Built in the early 1700s, the Thompson-Neely barn is quite unique. Unlike most barns, it was built with two stories on the rear elevation but only one story on the barnyard side. This gives the barn a saltbox configuration when viewed from the gable ends. The barn is a three bay English barn with double wagon doors in the central bay on both elevations. The double doors on the barnyard side are flanked by single doors; one door is larger than the other. The reason for this feature is generally consistent with a larger door being used for horses and a smaller door for cows. The barn has narrow ventilation slits in the haymows. The Thompson-Neely House was used as a hospital for sick and wounded soldiers during the Revolutionary War just prior to George Washington’s famous crossing of the Delaware River on Christmas night. It is believed that after the first Battle of Trenton, James Monroe was brought here. The Thompson-Neely House is open for tours.
2
Lambert Farmstead
The Lambert Farm barn may be a little difficult to see from the road. It is a twentieth century barn that adapted to new technology and farm architectural advancements. The lower portion of the barn is constructed of masonry block instead of having stone foundation walls extending up to the bottom of the second floor as was traditionally done. Also, unlike traditional New Jersey three-bay barns that have the main entrance on the long wall, this barn has entrances on the gable end. The barn has a side shed addition extending its full length and a one story block wing projects out from the shed. Midway along the side of the wing away from the road is a tall concrete stave silo.
3
Larason Farmstead
The first thing one notices about this barn is that it is not oriented towards the road. Instead, the barn faces the house and sits with its gable end facing the road. Although this is a tall structure, with a portion of the lower level built of stone, it appears to function as a ground barn, where wagons entered the building at the ground level along both long walls rather than having a ramp leading to the second floor. Like many New Jersey barns (and unlike most barns found in Pennsylvania), the siding is horizontal rather than vertical. A long, low frame addition with a projecting hay hood on the gable and a one-story masonry extension helps define the barnyard.
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Arched Roof Barn
While there is a fine example of a frame ground barn on the property, what sets this barn apart from the others along the route is the presence of an arched roof barn. The lower level of this structure is block construction with the gables being horizontal clapboards. The advantage of an arched roof barn is that it gives a large loft space with no interior timbers spanning the structure. Most of these barns actually have a rounded roof, which comes to a slight point at the ridge line. A pointed arch is similar to a traditional Gothic Arch, so they are often referred to as Gothic Roof Barns. They were introduced nationally in the second decade of the 20th century. They gained popularity through the 1920s - 1940s.
Other arched roof barns called Rainbow Arch, or Barrel Vaulted, are fully rounded, with no ridge line. As noted in the text of “Historic Barns of Washington State,” arched roof barns were constructed with the latest patent equipment. Arch roof barns represented prosperity and modernization when constructed, whether they were built as part of a newly established farmstead, or as a modern barn to replace or supplement an earlier frame barn on an existing farmstead.
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Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead
The barn on this property is one of the few on the tour open to the public as part of the Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead Museum ( check website for times ). The Museum is housed in the restored three story bank barn that was built into the hillside to make both floors accessible from ground level. Livestock were kept on the lower level, crops above. In bad weather, the farmer could feed without going outdoors. Today, some of the exhibits arranged in the barn cover the tools and equipment used by the farmer to raise and harvest the crops that provided fodder for livestock and commodities to sell. Other displays cover the domestic chores of the farmer's wife in the preparation and preservation of food and the making of clothing. Early examples of now common implements and appliances give the visitor a sense of passing time.
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Moorland Studios Bank Barn
The home of Moorland Studios is a bank barn with its gable end facing South Main Street. Like most bank barns, the ground is higher on the rear elevation and lower on the barnyard side. This barn is also banked so that ground level is lower along the road than the opposite end. This results in the barn having two sets of wide double doors, one at the typical location at the top of the barn ramp and another, at a lower level near the gable end of the barn away from Main Street. The slope from the road also allows for a smaller door to provide access to the stable from the back of the barn.
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Stockton Stone Barn
Located right in the middle of downtown Stockton is a small stone barn. It is unusually tall for a relatively small barn. Unlike most of the barns in the area, the entire barn is constructed of stone. The original stable level doors have been converted to large windows. Evidence of a central winnowing door above the stable level is still visible from the street elevation.
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Woolverton Inn Barn
The barn on the site of this popular B & B is an example of a variation of a “Pennsylvania Barn." This is not the most typical form of barn found in southeastern Pennsylvania. The typical forebay barn in this area has a projecting forebay. Instead of a cantilevered open forebay, this barn’s forebay is formed by moving the lower stable wall several feet back, creating a forebay recess. These barns are stone on three sides with a frame wall above the forebay recess. The stone gable end walls extend to the outer edge of the forebay so the forebay is “closed” on the gable ends. Robert Ensminger’s classic book The Pennsylvania Barn classifies this style as a “Closed-Forebay Standard Barn." It is believed to be the amalgamation of Pennsylvania German and English Lake District barn features.
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Prallsville Mills
While not a traditional barn, the Prallsville Mill Complex is a historic site well worth visiting ( check website for times ). Operated by the Delaware Mill Society, the 10-building complex includes a grist mill, linseed oil mill, saw mill and granary, most dating back to the late 1700s. The buildings are considered a significant example of early American industrial architecture. The complex also includes one of the finest 18th century houses in the region and among New Jersey's most significant early dwellings. The house is a late Georgian/early Federal residence that John Prall built for his family. A more utilitarian section of the building housed staff.
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Rosemont Frame Barn
The barn is located along the road across from the Rosemont Cemetery. The barn is frame construction on a stone stable level. A small, gable roof cupola is located at the center of the roof peak. There is a rear shed extension that encloses what may have originally been a cantilevered bank shed. An unusual shed roof addition with a raised stone foundation sits atop the original barn bank. Attached to the front of the main barn is an offset one-story gable roof wing on the barnyard side separating the barnyard from the road.
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Rosemont Double Cupola Barn
This farmstead has a large wood frame barn surmounted by two cupolas. The front of the barn has been expanded with the construction of a one-story shed. At right angles to the main barn is a long, one-story wing. This wing has a Gothic arch roof. The introduction of laminated trusses allowed for the construction of these barns, which provided more storage room than a typical gable roof with the added benefit of eliminating tie beams and other wooden members making the lofts even more useable.
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Rosemont Wood Frame Barn
The centerpiece of this farmstead is a tall, wood frame barn surmounted by a cupola with a spire. The barn is painted red with the door and window openings outlined in white. Three white barn stars are painted high on the forebay wall. It is surrounded by a number of accessary structures. The farmstead is set off from its surrounding agricultural fields by a white fence.
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Rosemont Gable Roof Barn
The barn on the property consists of two large sections with a smaller front gable roof projection. The main barn is frame above a stone stable level. On the easterly end of the main barn is a slightly shorter gable roof extension. This extension was probably built to store additional hay as there is a covered hay hoist hood visible on the east gable.
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Green Sergeant’s Covered Bridge
The bridge carries County Route 604 over the Wickecheoke Creek. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The bridge is constructed of heavy timber trusses that appear to be a modification of the Warren truss. Originally erected in 1872, the bridge was disassembled and rebuilt in 1961. It is the last remaining covered bridge in New Jersey. For a self-guided tour of the 12 remaining covered bridges across the Delaware River in Bucks County, see the Visit Bucks Covered Bridge Tour .
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Opdycke-Sergeant House
The Opdycke-Sergeant House property includes a complex of 20th-century farm buildings. Its principal element is a frame barn erected in 1929 shortly after its predecessor was destroyed by fire, possibly incorporating portions of the foundations of the earlier barn. While of more recent construction, its form and detailing reflect that of barns erected years earlier. The adjoining double corn crib/wagon shed is typical of traditional 19th century construction.
Credit: “Covered Bridge Historic District” National Register of Historic Places nomination, by Dennis N. Bertland, October 1998
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Stockton Bank Barn
The core of the barn is a two-story, stone bank barn. Attached to one gable end of the barn is a full height wood frame addition. The view from the road shows an earthen bank leading up to the main barn floor with large masonry (now roofless) silo.
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Stockton Stone Bank Barn
Driving along the road, you will pass the back of a medium sized red barn just off the highway. It is a bank barn with a frame superstructure on a stone stable level. The siding runs horizontally along the wall facing the road and one gable end, but the siding is vertical on the opposite gable end. It is built into a slight hillside so the rear is at ground level and the front of the barn is at a lower level to provide access to the stable. A small pent roof protecting the stable doors on the front of the barn is visible if one is travelling from Stockton to Sergeantsville.
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Stockton Farmstead
This is an expansive farmstead made up of multiple buildings and structures. The main barn is a long, relatively low structure with a gambrel roof punctured by shed dormers. The ground level is masonry and is supported by a number of projecting buttresses. Attached to the westerly gable end is a long one-story gable roof section. These structures generally date to the early twentieth century. To one side of the large barn is a more typical gable roof barn with horizontal siding on a stone stable level. What may have originally been an open recessed forebay is now closed in to provide additional interior space. There is a stone wall in front of the smaller barn, enclosing a small barnyard. Three tall silos located behind the main structure are visible.
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Single-story English Barn
This barn is a classic example of a single-story English barn. This type of barn was generally superseded in this region by the two-level German-influenced “Pennsylvania Bank Barn” by the early 19th century. However, in central Bucks County, specifically in the area surrounding New Hope, Pennsylvania, there remain a number of barns that pre-date the classic Pennsylvania barn.
This is a three-bay barn. The central bay (original threshing floor) appears to have been originally wood frame construction. The barn features two doors in the gable end of the east gable with a wider one providing access to a horse stable. There are no doors on the opposite gable end of the barn; the access to the stable area in this end of the barn is on the barnyard elevation.
There is in the interior of the east gable (facing the house) a date stone with the date of 1786. The unusual location of the date stone most likely is due to the fact that someone added a large window in the gable. Presumably the window was installed where the original date stone was located and the stone was rescued and relocated below the window on the interior. Many of current window openings, which are now glazed, were originally protected by wooden louvers. The frames still show the tenons where the original louvers would have been installed in the frames.
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Bucks County Audubon Society at Honey Hollow Visitor Center
Preserving the barn’s original characteristics, which include four out sheds, oversized doors, the “people” doors, and the interior space, the Bucks County Audubon Society (BCAS) converted the barn to house its nature shop, an environmental education classroom, displays, and a discovery room for children.
The barn was designed by renowned architect, R. Brognard Okie, who was known for his colonial restorations, which include the Betsy Ross House and Pennsbury Manor. Built in 1934, the barn provided cool, dry storage for grain, straw, and hay as well as horse stalls. In 1994, BCAS acquired the barn along with 55 acres. The renovation of the barn was completed in 1998. Historic photographs and information are on display. The property is located on land that is protected by a conservation easement administered by Heritage Conservancy. BCAS often holds public events, so feel free to get out and explore this barn and its surrounding area.
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Rolling Green Farm
This farmstead is an excellent example of mid-18th century architecture. During the Revolutionary War, the property was an encampment site of General Charles Lee’s army. The brigades encamped at Rolling Green Farm preceded General Washington’s march from Valley Forge to Monmouth. A Continental soldier from a southern state grew ill and was nursed here by the Paxson family, a distinguished family residing in Bucks County from its earliest settlement. The soldier died and was buried on the property.
The original section of the low barn has a central door and long ventilator slits and is probably contemporary to the first section of the house that dates to 1748. The English three-bay stone barn is highlighted by narrow ventilation slits.
According to several date stones, the original section of the house was built by Enoch Pearson in 1748. The original stone section of the barn was probably built around the same time, making it one of the oldest barns in Bucks County. The current owners renovated the barn, replacing the old asbestos siding with wood siding. Inside, a floor was constructed for the adaptive reuse of the barn.
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New Hope Winery
This mid-19th century frame-over-stone bank barn has been converted for retail use as a winery. Unlike most barns, the bank is on the southerly side of this barn. Generally, the bank was located on the back of the barn. Most barns had ground-level stable doors on the south or southeasterly side so that the animals could benefit from the morning sun. These doors were sheltered by either being recessed from the frame superstructure above or protected by a projecting frame forebay. This winery is part of the Bucks County Wine Trail. For a full list of wineries on the trail, visit www.visitbuckscounty.com/listings/Bucks-County-Wine-Trail
Lessons for modern life
Barns tell a story of a period of American life where farming families interacted with the land and water in ways different from our modern experience. The features of a barn can help us to understand the relationships between communities and nature.
In this video, barn historian Jeff Marshall describes what we can learn from exploring barns and the importance of barn preservation.
an interview with barn historian, Jeff Marshall
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