THE ROUND BARNS OF VERNON COUNTY

By Marissa DeGroot

Vernon County, in the southwest corner of Wisconsin, is home to more round barns than any other county in the state—about ten are still standing. Round, or centric, barns were popular from the 1880s to 1930s because they were wind-resistant and required less materials to build.

A number of round barns in Vernon County were designed and built by Alga “Algie” Shivers, a local farmer and World War I veteran. Algie was the son of farmer Thomas Shivers, a man who was born into slavery in 1857. After the Civil War, Thomas walked from Tennessee to Wisconsin over a two-year period, eventually arriving in the southwestern corner of the state. By 1900, Thomas had one of the largest Black-owned farms in Wisconsin.

Many of the round barns in Vernon County can be found in the eastern part of the county between Viroqua and Hillsboro and are visible from the road, depending on the time of year. The Vernon County Historical Society provides maps for a driving tour of the barns.