My father and grandfather took me today to see the barn that was built by my great great grandfather Samuel Keim. He built it in 1899 after the big tornado destroyed his property in Carol County, IL. It hasn't been used in at least 20 years but they wanted to take me up in the hay loft to see the old construction. The original beams and framing are reused from the barn that blew down in in 1898. Wood pegs and square nails are the norm. Many of the beams are 8 inches by 8 inches and many of the wall boards and floor boards are solid pine as wide as 18-20 inches. My father told me that you could have played basketball or roller skated up there back in the day and I believe it. It seems to be all pine or larch construction and the pins are 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick driven through the beams. We took a couple of souveniers: a hay bale hook that was likely used by many men in my family and a pine board 16 inches wide, three feet long and one inch thick. I imagine I will run it through the thickness sander and see if its useful for anything!
Check out the posts where they wrapped extra pieces of bailing wire over the years. It is likey 70 years of bailing wire saved "just in case."
Wow, I've been in many barns, not nearly that old, that are already falling down. What a beauty.
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