Round Barn, Harney County, Oregon
Copyright © 1996, Don Baccus (dhogaza@pacifier.com)
Copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
All images copyright © 1995, Don Baccus
This historic structure was built by Peter French's buckaroos in the late 1800s as winter shelter for his horses. While he actually built three such barns, this is by far the best known and is now publicly owned. The barn consists of an inner stone cylinder surrounded by an outer wooden wall. The space between these walls was used to exercise the horses during severe weather, explaining the round shape.
The roof is supported by a massive juniper post, and large juniper beams and joists were employed. Sawtimber was brought by wagon from Burns, about fifty miles away; the large juniper timbers from Steens Mountain, not much closer.
While the primary reason for visiting Round Barn is to view this historical structure, there's wildlife here too. This area varies a great deal from year-to-year depending on precipitation, with the barn itself being waist-deep in water during the flood years of the early 1980s. When the water receeded, the barn hosted a huge colony of cliff swallows, which utilized almost every where the exposed juniper joists support the roof, several hundred pair in all. Currently, few swallows nest there as there is very little mud nearby for nests.
In some years, burrowing owl can be found here, and pronghorn are frequently seen. There's a small reservoir near the barn, and waterfowl are usually there in good numbers, along with a few eared grebe. Sandhill crane frequently forage in nearby fields.
