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Contrary to popular
opinion, all barns are not created rectangular and red. Wisconsin alone
has approximately 200 round or “round-type” barns.
Folk wisdom attaches superstition to the shape, claiming
that the barns were built round so the devil could not find a corner to
hide in.
Actually, they were modern technology at its finest, being
cheaper to build than conventional barns because they used less material
and being more resistant to strong winds because gusts were directed
around the structure rather than buffeting against the walls.
Round barns are a fine example of architecture in harmony
with the rural landscape. They are an important part of our national
heritage and they stand as monuments to their makers’ ingenuity and
craftsmanship.
In 1952, the restaurant was renovated into a full service
restaurant and bar. In 1974, a 27-room lodge was added, designed by
James Pfefferkorn, a former Frank Lloyd Wright associate. The two-story
lodge wraps around a beautiful wood-domed indoor pool, whirlpool and
sauna.
Since then an adjacent building has been converted into a 3
suite guest house. In 1988, 14 rooms were added to the main lodge,
bringing the total number of units to 44. These unusually spacious
rooms offer king size beds, whirlpool baths and cathedral ceilings.
The lodge is joined to the restaurant by a hall called “The
Country Room” that accommodates banquets and meetings of up to 120
people.
In 2004, John and Mary Pat Kaul purchased the Round Barn
Lodge and Restaurant and converted the restaurant into an Italian
Restaurant called the
Pasta Barn.
An entire face lift of the property was executed and a beautiful
waterfall and patio were added just off the banquet room.
The cupola on the restaurant was once the top of a silo
that ran from the ground level to the top of the structure. Through
several windows in the ceiling of the restaurant and bar, patrons can
look up 50 feet and see the original roof rafters that help make The
Round Barn a historic and exciting structure.
Onetime local resident, Frank Lloyd Wright, said about The
Round Barn, “They don’t build them like that any more.
Stroll down the hall to our lodge and view the shopper’s
showcases, featuring shopping opportunities from Spring Green’s
interesting retail emporiums. Buy directly from the showcases or go
downtown and see even more.
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