Horse Barn

Horse Barn from 1877

National Park Service

Quick Facts

Location:

James A. Garfield Mational Historic Site

Significance:

Original building on the Garfield Farm

Amenities

1 listed

Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits

When James and Lucretia Garfield purchased this property in 1876 many of the farm buildings were located to the right of the main home facing what it is today Mentor Avenue, one of those was a horse barn. In the following years the Garfield farm saw the construction of more outbuildings which included more horse and cow barns. The horse barn that is still on park property was built in 1877.  

After 1893, when Mrs. Garfield started to turn the working farm into more of a country estate the barns were moved to their current location. The Horse Barn, Granary, and Chicken Coop were all moved to the "back" of the property which faces north.  

Today, visitors are only allowed inside the Horse Barn during the site's Behind the Scenes Tour. Inside the barn many of the original features can still be viewed. Such features include hand-hewn timbers in the rafters, the old staircase, horse stalls and doors, and a tack room. On one of the walls the word party is painted with an arrow pointing upstairs. The story behind the arrow is, some of the grandchildren had a "party" in the Horse Barn.

To learn more about this building please listen to the site's two cell phone tours. Click here to listen to these tours.