Object Record
Images
Metadata
Object Name |
Barn |
Source |
Living History Farms |
Iowa History Era Tag |
Statewide Settlement (1869-1896) |
Chronological Tag |
Civil War and Reconstruction (1850-1877) |
Catalog Number |
2018.016.002 |
Credit line |
Living History Farms - Urbandale, Iowa |
Description |
This barn was built by Martin Flynn in the late 1860s. Flynn was an Irish immigrant who was involved in several industries and organizations in the Des Moines area during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The barn had a brick foundation with stabling for livestock. The first floor had granaries, large enough to store 4,000 bushels of corn and 3,000 bushels of oats, as well as an area to store 150 tons of hay and another area for agricultural equipment. In 1915, the Flynn family sold the barn and the rest of the property to the State, and it became the home of a low security prison farm. Living History Farms later purchased the property. Content can be used with the following standards: 3rd grade SS 3.28 Cultural Contributions and 3rd grade SS 3.27 Immigration and Migration in a lesson on historic rural towns in Iowa and small businesses. A photo of the barn's modern appearance are attached. For any use other than instructional resources, please check with the organization that owns this item regarding copyright restrictions. |
Additional Research & Sources |
Martin, an Irish immigrant, arrived to the U.S. in 1852 with his two older brothers. The boys found work on the railroad and eventually Martin began his own railroad construction business and soon began investing in land. Martin and his wife Ellen bought land near Des Moines and by 1875, they had bought nearly 1500 acres. There, they developed a short horn breeding business called Walnut Hill Farm. Spring of 1870, the Flynns built a 14-room mansion. The Italianate Victorian home was complete with the building of a two-story barn. The couple had ten children over the years and sold the farm in 1915 to the State after Martin's death. After the purchase, the land became Clive Honor farm, a low security prison farm. In 1969, Living History farms bought the land and restored the original buildings into a history museum. |
Primary/Secondary Source |
Significant - Local |
County Tag |
Polk |
People |
Flynn, Martin |
Relation |
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Multimedia Links |
Click here to view/hear the file. |
Search Terms |
Agriculture Business & Industry Farmers/Farm Life Rural Life |
Legal Status |
Ownership of this resource is held by Living History Farms and has been provided here for educational purposes only, specifically for use in the Iowa Museum Association's "Teaching Iowa History" project. It may not be downloaded, reproduced or distributed in any format without written permission from the Rights Holder. For information on U.S. and International copyright laws, consult an attorney. |
