This Hay Barn is an excellent example of the Homesteaders survival of the 1720’s.  The Base of this barn is the 1^st residence for the family and their animals.

The base is built into the bank of the hill and made out of stone, which in this area stone seamed to grow like weeds, and had a simple roof.  This type of construction was built very fast.  The family needed a place to protect themselves, not only from the elements, but also from the Indians.

The barn has two doors, one in the front and the other on the left side.  There are two windows which are located on the opposite sides of the stone structure.  My thoughts of the windows are as such, they needed cross ventilation, for looking out of and for shooting out of.  Since this area was heavily populated with the Indians that lived here way before the French and Indian War of the 1750’s. 

After the family survived and had time they built the first log house.  It had a simple mud and log chimney, which was replace with stone at a later time. 

The family went back an added the notched stack log structure on top of the Stone structure, since their also grew in population.  The hay hole is on the left side of the log structure.  It had many pitch fork holes when they missed the hay hole.

The location of this building is along the side of the road between Rt. 12 and Rt. 73 in the Oley valley just east of Reading, PA.

We have located two other stone and stacked log hay barns in along Old rt. 22, in northern Berks County; they are in very bad shape. This hay barn is in excellent shape and painted barn red.

It has great Caretakers.

Price as is:   $ 170.00