Round Timber Framed Barn by Rustic Structures

Fort Edward, NY – June 2, 2008 – It has been 93 years since a Timber Framed round barn has been built in New York State. They were once considered the model of farming efficiency before the internal combustion engine started changing agriculture. Today, George Story is watching the initial phase of construction on his own round barn on Thompson Island in the Hudson River, Fort Edward, NY. Mr. Story had thought about the barn for years, making sketches of the floor plan and the exterior. “I’ve seen similar barns in Hancock Massachusetts and in Amish country, I always wanted one” says George. Aside from being round, another unique feature is that the wood used will be locust. “I wanted it made of locust for the durability” explains Story. The structures on the island where the barn is being built are a model of longevity; locust fencing, locust docks, and a stone house with locust porches. The barn itself will be used for horses; trotters that can compete locally in Saratoga Springs and elsewhere. Its floor plan includes 16 outer posts around three segregated stall areas, which surround an open pentagon. When Mr. Story, the owner of General Timber in Argyle, NY, was satisfied with his design he made contact with Rustic Structures, LLC of Hebron, NY about the possibility of creating the unique 16 sided building.

“I was not entirely certain at first that I could do it…” said Jim Kearns, owner of Rustic Structures, LLC. “I learned the craft and the business of Timber Framing from Vermont Timber Frames, Inc. (Cambridge, NY). But we had never done anything quite like this. The difficult part was trying to figure out a timber frame design that went from a 16 sided exterior, through a 5 sided interior, to a single point in the center… Quite a trigonometric puzzle.” Mr. Kearns visited the famous round barn in Hancock Shaker Village as part of his research for the project. “After viewing the round barn in Hancock, Mass and making several frame sketches, I told George that I thought I could do it.” That was back in the fall of 2005. In 2006 and 2007 locust logs were being processed into timbers by Dan Shaw at Windy Hill Sawmill in Easton, NY. There are over 300 individual timbers in the barn and just about 1200 joints. Most of these housed, mortise and tenon, joints were cut at the Rustic Structures outdoor “shop” in Hebron, NY prior to being delivered to the island by barge in May of 2008. The frame raising is taking place right now and should be complete by the end of June. Every work day, trucks, tools, and materials for that days work must be transported onto the island by barge. Eventually, the 16 sides will be dressed out with curved wall girts (so that the barn will actually be round), it will have a slate roof, and a cupola. Some of the other interesting features in the 40 foot diameter barn are two bridge trusses spanning the entrance to the barn and to the interior pentagon. Some of the joinery and all of the steel work for the trusses was provided by Todd Koch and Elisa Meyer of Belcher Hollow Forge, Hebron, NY.

"This project exemplifies the 'can do' attitude of the businesses in the region, combining vision, craftsmanship and unique skills" said Mark Galough, Executive Director of the Washington County Local Development Corporation.

“Based on Richard Triumpho’s book, “Round Barns of New York”, (Syracuse University Press) this will be the first round, timber framed, barn to be built in New York since 1915. However, the 16 sided exterior and the 5 sided interior likely make it an entirely unique, one of a kind structure” says Jim Kearns. “It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to work on a project this challenging”.