Name

Standard German Barns

General Range

1810-1870

Throughout the 19th century, German barns swept through Pennsylvania. The "standard" barn, usually called the German Barn, emerged just after the Revolution (earliest dated example is 1792). The key feature of a German barn is the forebay, a grain storage area that extends past the wall of the lower level. These forebays thus extended over a space outside of the barn; they were often supported by piers or stone posts. German barns are classified according to the appearance of the forebay into two dozen subsets. The barn above, located at 8273 Grubb Road in McKean Township, is an example of the "closed forebay standard barn" because the foundation wall reaches out to the outer corners of the forebay. German barns feature a ramp on one side that leads up to the threshing floor on the upper level, which is flanked by mows for storing hay and straw. The lower level was historically the stall area, where cows were milked and livestock would spend the night.

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Municipality

Address

McKean Township

8273 GRUBB ROAD