Barn foundations

I've noticed that since Seth Hinshaw's talk about historic barns in Kennett Township, I've been paying much closer attention to all the barns I see while driving around. Mr. Hinshaw, an architectural historian, spoke to a standing-room-only crowd (I was one of those standing) at a May 16 lecture at the Kennett Township building sponsored by the Kennett Township Historical Commission.
His theme was that barn styles evolved over the years because of three factors: livestock, grain and agricultural implements.
In 1780, he said, the average farm had two horses, two cows and three sheep. By 1850, those numbers had risen to three horses, four dairy cattle, seven beef cattle and three sheep, and the animals were bigger due to the introduction of new breeds and the use of selective breeding. Grain production increased because farmers were growing higher-yield crops, rotating crops and using fertilizer. And with improvements in harvesting equipment, like the grain drill and Wiley plow, both invented locally, farmers could harvest more acres of grain.
Thus, farmers needed more barn space to accommodate not only larger animals but also larger harvests and expensive new equipment.
To illustrate his lecture, Mr. Hinshaw used slides of barns along Chandler Mill Road, McFarlan Road, Burnt Mill Road, Bayard Road, Kaolin Road, Sills Mill Road, Hillendale Road, Pennfield Drive, Bucktoe Road, South Union Street, Old Kennett Road and Longwood Gardens.
He said that while preparing his talk he pored through Futhey and Cope's definitive book on Chester County history but couldn't find any Kennett Township images: "Can you believe it?" he asked.
In the crowd I saw members of the township's historical commission and the planning commission, former township supervisor Tom Nale, my friend Bill Landmesser, Police Chief Albert McCarthy and his wife Cheryl, and Unionville residents Ruth Thompson and her son, Larry.
Before the program Sara Meadows, who chairs the Historical Commission, presented Jay Roland Minshall with a plaque honoring him for his years of service. Commission member Marion Guthrie's lovely paintings of Kennett Township scenes were also on display.
Thank you to the Historical Commission for an educational evening! The cookies were good, too.