ZIONSVILLE, Ind. There’s a good reason why your grandfather’s pig barn wasn’t built near the house, or why a group of evergreen trees was planted on the border of the family farm.
The founding farm families in Indiana designed their properties based on what made sense at the time.
Maplelawn Farmstead, a Zionsville nonprofit, is a living museum that gives a glimpse into a nearly 200-year-old farm.
“When the areas were leveled and farms were first built, there were a few factors that influenced how a farm was created,” Indiana Landmark spokesperson Tommy Klickner explained during a tour hosted by the Indiana Barn Foundation.
“It was one of those weather conditions. The further south you went, it didn’t matter. The buildings were further away. As you head north, you start to see groups of buildings getting closer to reduce the amount of time outside.”
Windbreaks and orchards were placed to protect the buildings from the cold north winds in winter.
Ethnic traditions also influenced how plantations were laid out.
“Since European traditions came from early immigrants, so were the first and second generations,” Klickner said.
“Then you started to see changes in farming that dictate more of how buildings are designed. You also have land surveys that have affected how farms are planned.”
At Maplelawn Farmstead, land surveys played a large role in the design.
The farm was road oriented in a grid system – a common feature of farms in northern Indiana.
“As you go south, you start to see the topography being more of a factor in how you create a farm,” Klickner said. “They put the barn and the house in the most flat area. But here, you have the house towards the main road, and the buildings behind you.”
“What’s great about Maplelawn Farmstead is how safe it is – the fact that many of the historic farm outbuildings have survived.”
The farm tells the story of how agriculture has evolved since the area was first settled.
The granary was placed near the cattle sheds to facilitate life.
“They were planting multiple crops,” Klickner said. It was about self-sufficiency. There was corn, barley, wheat. This continued until the beginning of the twentieth century.
“The mechanization of the farmer was obvious. Early on he peeled ears of corn by hand from the field into a wagon. As soon as mechanical corn-collecting machines appeared, I began to see the buildings built to store the ear of corn — the corn bed.
“Once we got our combines, we started seeing baskets of early grain appearing on the farm. Early corn stocking would have been simple little wooden structures.”
The theme of self-sufficiency can be found throughout the life of the farm. The families who owned the farm raised chickens and pigs in addition to growing crops.
Chickens were kept close to the house so that farmers could keep an eye on predators. The pigs were put away because, well, they don’t smell.
Through hard work and care, the ranch continues to be a part of Indiana’s rural history.
Learn more at maplelawnfarmstead.org and www.indianabarns.org.
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