The Milk House

The story about the new Gruel barn in Monday's post mentioned a plan for a new milk house as well, "built of hollow tile … 34x36 feet." That reminded me that I have a picture I haven't posted yet, which comes from the "John Gruel Farm" envelope found among Lillie Newman Barnes' keepsakes, and which may be of that milk house.


(Click on image to enlarge)
Image courtesy of Diane Barnes.

That looks like hollow tile to me, and I suppose the width could be 34 feet, especially if you were measuring across the center of the interior. Not a positive ID, but possible.

The marvelous new barn is almost completely hidden behind this possible milk house — you can just see the top of the silo on the north side of the barn, and one of the cupolas.

When I was out there last spring photographing the former site of the barn, I took a picture of the shed that now stands approximately where the (possible) milk house stood.



I have spent a lot of time since then trying to convince myself that it's the same building, just with a lot of remodeling. I haven't quite succeeded, but I shall keep trying.