Hitchens' Hay Barn

Last crawled date: 1 year ago

Originally only one story tall, this log barn was moved here after it was already 40 years old, and the water curved hay loft roof added later. This high altitude (6600' / 2011m) Yampa river bottom land has been ranched by the Hitchens family for 4 generations and is now called The Overlook Ranch. The old Hitchens' Ranch hay barn was constructed of local logs in 1903, and then moved to the current location and the boat-hull shaped hay loft added in the early 40's. The vertical 'ribs' in the loft are dimensional 1x4, water soaked and hand bent onto forms, and laminated 4 thick. These ribs are on 18' centers and run from the hay loft floor to the peak, and it does resemble the woodwork in the hull of a boat, but with thinner ribs and supports. Hay barns are made to let the air flow pretty freely, to keep the hay from spoiling. The roof is very solid, it has a curved standing seam steel skin (circa 1960s), but the end walls are merely lattices, and have almost as much daylight showing through as not. Go inside the model and take a look at the end walls. Log ends are half dovetailed, hay loft framing is dimensional lumber . -- .75 mile due West you will find the Camilletti Barn, another curved roof hay barn. #barn #co #colorado #hay #hayden #historic #hitchens #milner #yampa