The Barn at Ankeny, Iowa

Just looking at the way barn beams were once fitted together and you instantly gain a respect for the sense of hard work and skill involved in accomplishing this. The character inherent in a hand-hewn beam speaks of another era—that of true craftsmanship.

This Iowa barn is from America’s Heartland. The Ladd family of Polk Country, Iowa built this large 40’ by 60’ barn in 1878 before they even built their house. Such was their dedication to starting their farm as a working entity. They employed the classic board and batten construction on the exterior. Inside, all of the framing was done with hand cut mortise-and-tenon joinery.

In the classic style of the time, the barn had a large hayloft and stables for their horses. Most farmers of this era used draft horses for the hard labor. These 1,800-pound animals were used to for the hauling of heavy loads, plowing fields, and other tasks that required pulling ability. Tall stature, muscular backs, and powerful hindquarters made the draft horse a source of real “horsepower” for the farmers.

By 1900 the Golden Age of Agriculture was in full swing. And with the passing of the Enlarged Homestead Act a settler could get a 320-acre claim in exchange for five years of residency and making improvements on the land.

Generations of families, like the Ladds, put their hearts and lives into their farms and these barns. With their strong commitment to providing both for themselves and the rest of the nation, we can well imagine the importance of a barn’s construction and its longevity to these farmers.

Reclaimed wood is unique in its history, beauty, and character. We believe that reclaiming wood will not only preserve America’s heritage, but it’s an environmentally responsible thing to so. Our reclaimed wood can now continue its legacy living a long life well into the future.