In 1910 a Mr. George Rudicel constructed a rather unusual barn. It has twelve sides, thus the name polygonal. The cone shaped roof is capped with a polygonal cupola and it topped by a square smaller cupola. There is also a large dormer facing the road. This barn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. It can be found in Noble Township, Shelby County, Indiana.

Nice profile of the barn

Note the face of the dormer matches the polygonal angled panels

Christmas star on cupola
Round barns were designed for dairy farming, and were not useful for general farming use. By the late 1920’s round barns had fallen out of favor. There was a nationwide agricultural depression after WWI, and easy to construct prefabricated barn packages were now available. There were 226 round barns in Indiana but 100 of these have vanished from the Hoosier countryside. Many round barns have been restored and are well maintained. The Rudicel barn, also known locally as the Montgomery round barn, is in need of some maintenance and a good coat of paint.


