Times change, and what was once useful has served its purpose—old agricultural barns being one. Gone are days when hay bales were stacked in barns by hand—one summer of that was enough for me and went back out in the woods logging. Anyhow, with new equipment for haying and baling, also witnessed new metal barns eliminating the need of manual labor.

The Hartson barn depicted is adjacent to the Dakin Unit of the Honey Lake Wildlife Refuge. Built in the mid-1880s it is distinct from other barns with its breeze way. The southern end, whether it was an add on, is not known. What is interesting the lumber is twenty feet in length, no doubt came from the Cornelision sawmill at Janesville.

As one can see from this view, the foundation on the south side of the barn has eroded. It is just a matter of time when this relic of the past is no longer.

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