John & May Burfiend Barn

Remnants of an old tractor sits on the sandy floor of the attached shed.

NPS credit

Several Port Oneida families have owned this farm over the years. The land here was first sold by Carsten Burfiend to Thomas Kelderhouse for one dollar in 1861 with the proviso that Kelderhouse construct a dock near the Carsten Burfiend farm. The new dock was first visited by the steamship Oneida, which led to the community's name of Port Oneida.

The farmhouse was once located near the Port Oneida dock and moved to the farm by John Schmidt many years ago.
During the time when the barn was built in the 1890s, stalks of wheat and oats would have been piled on the floor and beaten with sticks to separate the grain from the straw. Inside this barn, you see one of the first machines that automated the process.

Because of long winters a big barn to store hay was essential. Neighbors came together for a barn-raising bee when it was time to build a barn. Barn-raisings were a big deal. The entire barn went up in a day, with the help of many neighbors. The women would work all day to feed everyone. Tables made from saw horses with planks across them were set up outside were loaded with food and the workers helped themselves. And sometimes, a keg of beer was available to help quench thirsts.

The barn is owned by the National Park Service, but the house is privately owned. Please remember to respect the owners' rights and stay clear of their property.