Muscatine dairy barn added to National Register of
Historic Places
Gothic-roofed barn near Discovery Park was part of
Muscatine County Poor Farm
DES MOINES – It used to house dairy cattle near
Muscatine. Today, it's one of Iowa's most treasured historic buildings.
Built in 1926, the Muscatine County Home Dairy Barn with its
distinctive Gothic roof is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The barn was part of the Muscatine Country Poor Farm – also known as the
Muscatine County Home – and housed dairy cattle that produced cream for sale
and milk and butter for residents. It's located near the eastern edge of
Discovery Park.
"We're pleased the Muscatine County Home Dairy Barn has
been added to the National Register of Historic Places, and we congratulate all
the stakeholders who worked so hard on this successful nomination," State
Historian Laura Sadowsky said. "This recognition marks an important
milestone for Muscatine as it continues to preserve the legacy of its past for
future generations of Iowans to enjoy."
The dairy barn's historical significance is tied to its
association with the Poor Farm, which was created in 1883 by the county where
"'unfortunates who could not care for themselves' (i.e., the poor,
elderly, and physically or mentally disabled) were cared for at taxpayer
expense," the dairy barn's National Register nomination form said.
Like all of Iowa’s Poor Farms, the Muscatine County Home was
largely self-supporting because its agricultural production provided food for
residents and extra provisions for sale that funded its operating expenses. The
dairy barn was essential to the Muscatine County Home, which revolved around
its purebred Holstein dairy herd.
"By 1961, the Muscatine County Home’s Holsteins were
the top producing dairy herd among cooperators in the local Dairy Herd
Improvement Association," the nomination form said. "The Muscatine
County Home Dairy Barn reflects the history of the Muscatine County Home, a
once important county institution that has all but disappeared."
In addition to its historical significance, the Muscatine
County Home Dairy Barn is also recognized for its well-preserved Gothic roof
barn.
"The curved Gothic roof barn, with its pleasing
appearance and brace-free haymow, was the culmination of decades of effort
on the part of farmers and agricultural engineers to achieve maximum loft
space in the light-frame, two-story type Midwestern barn, many of which
were built to house dairy herds and milking facilities," the nomination
form said.
The barn is also recognized for being originally outfitted
with equipment such as cow stanchions and a hay carrier purchased from the
Louden Machinery Company in Fairfield, Iowa. Because Louden provided affordable
architectural plans to all its equipment customers, the barn was most
likely built with the company's plans.
In addition, the use of concrete in barn construction
reflects Louden's barn plans and Iowa’s dairy farmers' widespread compliance to
state sanitary regulations. Concrete also accommodated modern mechanized
systems for livestock care, many of which were manufactured by Louden and
installed in the Muscatine County Home Dairy Barn.
"Despite its metal clad roof and some interior
modifications to make the building more accessible to the public as a
museum, the Muscatine County Home Dairy Barn, represents this barn type
well," the nomination form said.
The period of significance for the dairy barn is 1926 to
1966, which reflects the year it was built and put into service to when
the county voted to build a new residential facility. The original
Muscatine County Home was demolished in 1969.
The State Historic Preservation
Office oversees the National Register of
Historic Places program in Iowa in conjunction with the National Park
Service. The State Historic Preservation Office is part of the State Historical
Society of Iowa, a division of the Iowa Department of Cultural Affairs.
More information about the Iowa
Department of Cultural Affairs and the National Register of
Historic Places is available at iowaculture.gov.