It has been awhile since I have seen lightening rods on a barn.
This big beautiful old barn has three lightening rods and two cupolas.
If you were a farmer, those lightening rods could save your barn from a lightening strike that could cause a fire in your hay mow. The glass balls would break if the building was hit by lightening. The lightening would be directed downward following a wire into the ground and the barn would be saved.
Years ago when many people lived on farms, this was one way that they could protect their animals and hay crop..without the barn and its full hay mow..they had nothing and no way to eke out a living.
Not too many barns around these parts anymore..one by one they are falling down. They are expensive to maintain and repair. I will take their photos while I can:)
Beautiful barn. I would give my eye tooth to have one that wonderful.
ReplyDeleteWe have lighting rods, but nothing cool with glass. Neat!
ReplyDeleteI would love to have an old barn like that. Probably couldn't afford to maintain it but it sure does look cool. Have a great day.
ReplyDeleteI should pay attention to the barns I pass in fields on my way to the High Country. I wonder if they have lightning rods. Interesting!
ReplyDeleteI get so sad when I see dilapidated barns, but even our little log barn has been so hard to keep. But to replace it would cost even more, especially in our county where you need a permit to breathe, and we use ours, really use ours. Most barns that go aren't needed. But it is sad all the same or even more for their lack of being needed.
ReplyDeleteI love barns... great pictures!
ReplyDeleteThese barns all have such wonderful stories...how and why they were built and about all the critters who inhabited them over the years. I love our old barn even though we don't own the farm any longer. (One cupola and plain rods) The barn is sagging a bit, but aren't we all?
ReplyDeleteSadly there's no use for these structures any more. Technology has made them obsolete. This one's in much better shape than the one on my family's farm. I did a post on it one time.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful barn. There is one across the road of similar size and shape that has been incorporated into part of a horse boarding set up.
ReplyDeleteWe don't get a lot of thunder and lightening here, and I've never noticed lightening rods, but I should have a better look:)
I love old barns and imagine the stories behind their construction: did the neighbors come to help in a traditional "barn raising" or did the owner and his family build it. My imagination takes off just looking at your photos.
ReplyDeleteI love the old barns as well . It's a shame they are becoming a dieing breed ! Back in my hobby farm days there wasn't any barns with lightning rods on them not even the steel made barn we had . My father worked off of the farm as well for a steel company and we had our barn made by this company , now that I think about thank goodness our barn was never struck by lightning . Nice photos ! Have a good day !
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I haven't seen lightening rods in a long-time either!
ReplyDeleteLinda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
I do know of the handy dandy lightnin' rods first hand. The barn is just picture perfect.
ReplyDeleteI kinda think we needed those lightin' rods on our home the wee mornin' the lightnin' blew the top outta an electric pole outside our bedroom. Dang if it didn't take our fax machine, waterbed heater, blew a fence charger in a ten foot radius, blew apart the pump in my outdoor fountain and every stinkin' component above ground on our well. Yep...needed a lightnin' rod or twelve! Heeehehehe!
God bless ya and thanks for sharin' that magnificent barn.
Have a great day! :o)
I did not know that about the lightening rods - well I do know that they exist and why but I've never seen them with the glass ball! Cool - I've had my education for the day! haha
ReplyDeleteHello, found your great blog, enjoyed very much....It,'s so beautiful to still see them up on the old barns...I love old lightning rods, have a nice collection of them in my home...they are a wonderful collect able I think....Blessings Francine.
ReplyDeleteGreat barn. Wonderful photo. Have a great week!
ReplyDeleteIt's sad that they are falling into disrepair and we are loosing them....
ReplyDeleteI love old barns.
Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams
I enjoyed this post very much. We don't have many barns around here.
ReplyDeleteWhat a classic scene that first picture is. I had no idea lightning rods were becoming so rare. I've seen some driving through the countryside in Ohio and Indiana, but I've never been to Minnesota to know...
ReplyDeleteLove the colours in that first shot! Lightning rods seem like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteGreat old barn! You should put this on Barn Charm at Bluff Area Daily blog.
ReplyDeleteBarn Charm
Love those old barns. Enjoyed the photos and the info. While living in Wisconsin I loved driving in the country to photograph the old "remaining" barns. It's a touch of history.
ReplyDeleteI thought all barns had lightning rods. Guess I should look closer. Just love those big old red barns. Would love to see more old barn pics! :)
ReplyDelete