Mount Washington Valley History: Happy Barn Day!

I hope you are all looking forward to celebrating the next National Barn Day this Sunday, July 8th, 2018. As I am sure you all know, it is always the second Sunday in July.

One of the many websites about Barn day suggests you “Celebrate Barn Day by driving out into the country to see as many barns as you can. Really get out there and barnstorm—literally. Take note of the different types of barns you can find. Take photographs!”

If you do take photographs, or have any old photographs or archival materials on old barns, we would be happy to collect or copy it for our collection to preserve and share with future generations.

We can also help you plan your barn day itinerary with books and historic photos from our collection.

If you start on Greenwood Avenue at the Conway Public Library head west to Pleasant Street.

If you look south or west you will see good examples of barns “connected architecture” outlined in Thomas Hubka’s “Big House, Little House, Back House, Barn” available for checkout at the library.

Here is a sketch diagramming the basic layout of these types of buildings, common throughout the Mount Washington Valley.

On the south west of the “four corners” is the old Abbott Dairy barn. You can still see part of the original track for the hay fork. Click on the picture to enlarge it and check out the really cool old truck.

From here you can head up along West Side Road which is like a museum of barns. Soon you will pass the old Allard Farm, once the site of the largest elm tree in New Hampshire.

Further up on West Side Road you will pass the "Smiley Face" barn seen above. You can also see an interesting potato barn built into the ground.

From West Side take River Road over the Saco back to Route 16. You can take a short detour north and check out the old Whitaker barn at Whitaker Woods.