Ryan's Round Barn:

(Page 3 of 3)

January 2000
Susan Wildemuth 
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Ownership of Ryan's Round Barn changed hands in 1939 when Ed Johnson, an Annawan banker, purchased the ground from the estate. In 1969, the State of Illinois bought the land the barn stands on and added it to the Johnson Sauk Trail Park. Time took its toll on the barn, and in 1974, rumors circulated of state plans to demolish the deteriorating structure. A group of concerned Henry County residents formed a coalition to preserve the barn, and Dec. 31, 1974, notification came that the site had been added to the National Register of Historic Places, which helps protect historically significant buildings from being demolished.

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In more recent times, the Friends of Johnson's Park Foundation, an outgrowth of the 1974 coalition, has been a driving force in the preservation and operation of Ryan's Round Barn. Dedicated volunteers have ensured that the barn was restored to its original condition; restoration and maintenance remain an ongoing process.

As the 20th century draws to a close, fewer than 50 round barns still exist in Illinois. Some have been lost to vandals; others to eroding effects of time, but thanks to a dedicated group of concerned people, a unique piece of America's agrarian past has been preserved for posterity.

Ryan's Round Barn is operated and maintained by The Friends of Johnson's Park Foundation. Guided tours are available from May to October, on the first and third Sunday of the month, from 1 to 4 p.m. For more information, contact Lorraine Owens, (309) 852-4262.

Susan Wildemuth is a writer who lives on a farm near Geneseo, Ill., with her husband, son, Spud the dog, and two lizards named Larry and Moe.



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