Barns have long been a symbol
of the American rural landscape. In years past, every farm had at least one
wooden barn to house animals and store equipment and feed. But over the last century,
as agriculture became industrialized, farms became larger and fewer. Many
small, family-operated farms tore down their barns and sold their land. The
family farms that remain have replaced working animals such as horses, which
were once kept in barns, with machinery that can be stored in metal sheds.
Livestock such as dairy cows and pigs are now kept in long, low buildings that
can house far more animals.
Thousands of barns collapse or
are destroyed every year. The National Trust for Historic Preservation, an
organization that works to save historic places in the United States, says this
represents a significant loss to the nation's rural heritage. Alongside other
groups, they are working to raise awareness of the number of endangered barns
and how they can be protected. A few states offer financial incentives in the
form of tax breaks and small state grants for preservation efforts. Federal
officials have also agreed to provide grants for barn preservation, but funding
has been slow to materialize, with critics saying such funds should rather be
used to assist farmers facing low crop yields.
Some people have been
renovating barns for residential living rather than maintaining them as
historic structures. Their huge beams and spacious interiors make for an
attractive living space. Such conversions are costly, however, as old barns
need significant structural work. Even if the framework is solid, installing
electricity and plumbing can be difficult. And once converted to a home, a
barn's large size and poor insulation make it difficult to heat in winter.
Furthermore, although barn-to-home conversions do preserve the buildings,
purists argue they do little to conserve their historical character or the
agricultural tradition they represent.
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