A limited-access by-pass for Highway 34 was planned for the south side of Fairfield. Part of the property purchased for the right-of-way was a farmstead. When some citizens realized that this historic farm (which had deteriorated over time) would be destroyed, they engaged the Iowa DOT in negotiations and saved the part of the farmstead that included the historic barns.
This property was deeded over to the Jefferson County Board of Supervisors by the Iowa DOT. In February of 2005 the Maasdam Barns Preservation Committee was formed to oversee restoration and development of the farmstead.
The Maasdam Barns Development Project was begun to develop a tourist, recreation and education center on the farmstead property. The project would showcase pre-industrial-revolution agriculture and highlight the achievements of the Louden and Turney companies, the largest local manufacturers during that era, and national contributors to pre-industrial and industrial agriculture.
Both of the 1910 barns apparently used Louden barn designs, and were built by J. G. Maasdam. The earlier 1906 barn was built for Ellsworth Turney, before he sold the farmstead to J. G. Maasdam.
The Maasdam Barn Project is funded by grants and donations, and much of the restoration work was and will be performed by volunteers.
Restoration work on the Stallion Barn began in 2005.
In May of 2007 the Jefferson County Supervisors transferred the 7.62-acre property to the Maasdam Barns Preservation Committee. Also, an application was made for the section of the farmstead that contains the barns to be entered onto The National Register of Historic Places, notification of which was obtained in the summer of 2008.
A Welcome Center was needed, but since none of the original farmhouses still existed, another building was sought It happened that a house in downtown Fairfield needed to be removed in 2009, so arrangements were made to move it to this farmstead to be converted into our Welcome Center.
By the time of our Open House in Oct, 2011, the volunteers has renovated the Welcome Center and displays and exhibits had been professionally designed and installed. Construction of the infrastructure, such as the parking lot, was contracted out and completed.
Volunteers, with some help from contractors, completed the Mare and Show Barn's exterior and interior work, and placed displays and exhibits within. Many small projects remain to done.
The Grand Opening will be held in the Spring of 2012.
A section of the Fairfield Loop Trail, the 16-mile recreational trail that encircles Fairfield, was planned to run through the farmstead. But then a new Health Center was built on the site just to the north of the farmstead, and the trail was moved to the borderline area between the two properties.
Historic Study, prepared for the Iowa DOT in 2002.
This 2002 report contains history, photos and diagrams of the barns and the old
farmhouses. PDF file -- requires Acrobat Reader or a PDF reader.
See "About the Farmstead" by Keith Shafer.
And more details about the Evergreen Ridge Stock Farm are on the "What are the Maasdam Barns?" page.
© 2009-2010 Maasdam Barns Preservation Committee
