McCulloch Round Barn, Humeston Ia



The McCulloch Round Barn

Dr. Geo. McCulloch built two round barns in Humeston. I understand this unique barn was built on his 700 acre farm west of town. Both barns were made of native lumber and wood shingle roofs. (I think this barn was the one which was built just south of town south of the school house), where today tall weeds, a horse lot and old buildings are located. Somewhere underneath I believe there is a round cement slab and is all that remains.
The barn west of town was perfectly round and could hold up to 300 head of cattle. The barn west of town was never painted so maybe this is the proof of which barn this is. The Humeston barn was torn down in 1938 to make way for a new square barn. The country barn finally collapsed and had to be burned several years later. Rafters were so long and unable to be braced against the heavy load of the roof and gave way and thus the reason for collapse. The barn west of town was 100 feet in diameter and was large enough to hold 4 teams of work horses plus the 300 cows in the outer perimeter. The center runway ran completely through the barn and was used to bring hay and feed to the stock with a wagon. There was a loft for holding the hay. The loft stopped short of going to the edges to allow the hay to be dropped into the cattle below. The center opening was used to throw hay to the horses.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN THIS BARN COLLAPSED?
Any information you may have would be greatly appreciated.

UPDATE !

“It makes me feel so good that someone, namely you have taken the interest to keep the old home town spirit alive. You can be proud of what you have done. I did not see anything on the site about the grain elevator that stood at the west end of main street, across the highway for at least 100 years. It was owned by the Humeston brothers, grandsons of the man who the town was named for.
Looking at the part of the site dealing with round barns. The ones owned by Dr. McCullough were not the only ones in the area. There was one west of the school house, just across the railroad tracks on the south side of the road. This one was owned by Mac Berry at the time we were in school, I do not know who built it. There was also a round barn just 2 miles east of the 7 mile corner south of town, on highway #2 on the way towards Corydon. It was on the south side of the road. Dr. Mc Cullough had one on the land just south of the school yard. The land had two houses, one near the road, and the one Milan lived in sort of back in the bushes. At the time I was in grade school, Claude Hanson family lived on the land, and then later Raymond Moore, family lived there. The other McCullough round barn was south and west of town, in the Green Bay area. I am not sure if it was a mile south or 2 miles, but I know it was there. My Dad farmed for Dr. Mc Cullough on this farm, and my sister Mary, Bud, Harold and I were all born on that farm. Dad always talked about the building of the barn, and why it was built round. Dr. Mc Cullough not only had large heard of beef cattle, but he had race horses. The barn was built round with a track all around the inside of the outside wall. This was used to exercise the race horses when the weather was too bad to take them outside. I can remember my Dad talking about different horses, and especially one named "Cricket" which had won a lot of races. I know this barn was still standing when I left the Humeston area. Thanks again for the good work, I will continue to check the site, there are some good addresses of people that I have not heard from for years.
Virgil Henderson ”



Thank you for your input Virgil!




DR. GEORGE MCCULLOCH

Dr. George McCulloch, born in Benton Holmes Co., on October 24, 1848. He was the son of Joseph and Nancy (Miller) McCulloch, who were both natives of Pennsylvania.
Dr. McCulloch died in Humeston on April 12, 1936. At the age of 88 years with pneumonia. He was one of the first residents of Humeston and said to have own more than 2000 acres of land.
He served as a member of the 19th General Assembly, was a prominent farmer and had a fine herd of Purebred Angus Cattle.
He was a partner of Capt. J.D. Hasbrouck in the Home State Bank and had the building built on the corner of Broad and 2nd. The building remains standing today as Snyder's Clothing and Variety Store. He also built the half block building north of that now being renovated.
He began the study of medicine under Dr. C.E. Rayburn of Brooklyn, IA. He entered Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1871 to attend lectures, but the great fire that destroyed Chicago also destroyed the school. He went to Michigan State University.
He graduated from there in 1873 with the degree in M.D. and in the fall of that year came to Humeston;. Being the pioneer physician of this city.
On Oct. 14, 1879 he married Drucilla D. Maxwell, who was a native of Ohio. They were blessed with one child Milan, born Jan. 5, 1883. Drucilla died in 1929 at the age of 72. They are interred at the Humeston Cemetery.


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