EXPERIMENTAL BARN

Located just north of east wing of ISU Press Building.

A request for $5000 for an Experiment Barn was made to the legislature late in 1893. An appropriation of $4000 was granted and plans were prepared the following spring. Bids were received in July, but all were above the funds available. Bids were taken on revised plans in August and the contract was awarded to Bisbee and Potter in the amount of $3830.

The Biennial Report for 1894-95 states: “The new experimental barn makes a new period in the practical work of farms and animal husbandry, and gives much better scientific tone to all that part of our work.”

This barn had a relatively short life. Its end is recorded in the Biennial Report for 1900-1901:

At noon, October 25, 1901, the cattle-barn¹ and new experimental barn were burned. The fire started in the cattle-barn and extended to the experimental barn. The origin of the fire is unknown. These two barns with their contents of hay, feed stuffs, corn and grain were worth about $13,000. The work of the experiment station was carried on in these two barns.