Outbuildings Served Multiple Purposes

Farms in Transylvania County, both in the past and more recently, have been relatively small and general in nature.  They may have a variety of livestock including cattle, chickens and pigs.  Earlier farms had horses for both work purposes and riding.  Typical farm crops included hay and corn.  In the past a variety of grains were grown and milled locally.  Sorghum or cane was grown for molasses.

 

A variety of structures were needed for the animals, crops and associated activities.  Along with a farmhouse and a traditional barn there were usually numerous outbuildings.  Some, like sheds of various sizes, were multi-purpose.  They may have housed livestock, been used for storage or as workshops. 

Traditional corn crib at Chestnut Hill.

Pole barns are a simple structure with a roof supported by poles and are often open sided.  These provide storage for tractors and large farm machinery.  Pole barns are also use for the storage of hay.  Because hay is highly combustible typically they are away from other buildings to prevent the spread of fire. 

Other common structures for crop storage include corn cribs and silos.  A traditional corn crib has horizontally-slatted walls and a gable-front roof.  This allows for the circulation of air so the corn can dry after it is picked and remain dry while in storage.  Corn cribs are normally elevated off the ground.

Numerous farm throughout the county had silos.  Examples of common bond brick silos included in the architectural survey are on the Virgil McCrary, Freeman Nicholson, John Talley and Bud Tinsley farms.  The Nicholson farm also has a concrete block silo.  The Johnstone-Ramsey farm has a tile silo.  Eastview Dairies silos were molded concrete.  Brevard College and the Otto Wells farm had silos of poured concrete.  The Robert Waldrop farm in Cherryfield had a large concrete trough silo set in the hill.

The Eastview Dairy used molded concrete blocks for the silo
 and lower level of the dairy barn.

Buildings used to house animals included diaries, pigpens, chicken coops and even pigeon coops.  Transylvania County has had several dairies.  Unlike traditional barns, dairy barns were often built with stone, cinder block or molded concrete block and may have had a frame loft area.  The Blythe-Whitmire farm in Penrose has a handsome fieldstone and frame dairy barn.  Everett farm had a dairy barn constructed of roughly-coursed cut stone. 

Pigeon coop on the front
of the corn crib at the
Bill Breese Mill.

During the mid-20^th century several local farms had large chicken houses.  These had relatively low roofs with open windows under the eaves and often had roof vents.

Next week Picturing the Past will continue exploring Transylvania County’s agriculture history.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library.  Visit the NC Room during regular library hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional photographs.  For more information, comments or suggestions contact Marcy at marcy.thompson@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-3151 X242.

 

This small, low shed with a corrugated tin roof was the pigpen at the Evan Talley farm in Penrose.