The Farm Barn

Designed by architect Robert H. Robertson, the Farm Barn was constructed by Dr. William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb between 1886 and 1890. At the turn of the 20th century, it was hub and headquarters for the model agricultural estate. It housed administrative offices, shops for blacksmithing, painting, carpentry and other services, farm machinery, wagons, stables for work mules, and storage rooms for harvested crops. It's main section is five stories high and it's courtyard is nearly 2 acres. As the farm declined through the 1930s and 1940s, the Farm Barn remained agricultural headquarters, though it suffered from lack of maintenance.

As the nonprofit (created in 1972) began to evolve into a center for environmental education, the Farm Barn became hub for its activities. From 1990-1993, the Farm Barn was rehabilitated for this new use. It received a new copper roof, new cedar shingles, a ground-floor sprinkler system and a state-of-the-art radiant heat system. Architect Martin Tierney and construction manager Mark Neagley of Neagley and Chase Construction supervised the $3-million renovation, which was made possible by generous grants and private gifts.

What's in the Farm Barn Today?

As Shelburne Farms' headquarters and home to a number of independent producers, the barn houses:

The Farms' administrative offices
The McClure Center for School Programs
The Children’s Farmyard
The Farm's cheesemaking facility and catalog operations.
O-Bread Bakery, an independent organic bakery
Outreach for Earth Stewardship, a nonprofit wildlife organization
Beeken/Parsons, an independent furniture maker
The Renaissance School, an independent elementary school.

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