This magnificent barn was built in 1925 by Walter Mays, a carpenter originally from England. It was home to a half dozen milk cows. The current owners still use the barn today, mostly for calving. Their parents acquired the property in 1948-49. A pair of great horned owls roost under the hay loft peak during the day. They have returned every year for the last five years, nesting in the nearby trees. The first thing that caught my eye were the ornate cupolas on the roof. Their purpose is to provide ventilation for the fodder stored in the hayloft, preventing it from molding or catching fire. Originally cupolas were made of wood but, by about 1910 most were manufactured from galvanized steel.
The Stories Behind The Structures
For many years I have enjoyed photographing old homesteads and landscapes found on the Alberta prairie and surrounding area. During this time I have seen many structures fall to the ground, never to be seen again. I have decided to gather as much history as possible on these subjects and share them with you on this blog. These historic structures are disappearing from our landscape, I feel that photographing them is an important form of preservation, meant to honour the structure's existence as well as those that built and cared for it. Barry Broadfoot wrote a book titled 'Next Year Country : Voices Of Prairie People'. One sentence has really stuck with me over the years. He says that “Every old home place in the west today is a monument to their (the settlers') determination”. If it wasn't for our forefather's hard work and perseverance we wouldn't enjoy many of the comforts that we have today.
If you own or know of any historic structures that you would like to share please contact me so that we can arrange a photo shoot.
david@stubblejumperphotography.com