Perennial Gardens
There were two sets of green houses on the Anna Dean Farm. On Robinson Ave Mr. Barber built the fruit and flower green houses. The Anna Dean Farm, fruit and flower green houses occupied five acres. On Snyder Ave however, he constructed the seven acre Anna Dean Farm Perennial Gardens. Here we see one of the Anna Dean Farm Perennial Garden trucks loaded with produce for market
Interior of one of the vegetable areas in the Perennial Gardens. All plants were planted in elevated concrete beds, to make tending the plants easier on the workers.
Planting and tending to starter plants in the Perennial Gardens. The Anna Dean Farm employed over 250 workers at all times of the year.
Looking east up Snyder Ave with some of the Perennial Garden green houses on your left. The Perennial Gardens were the largest set of the three green house complexes on the Anna Dean Farm.
Fresh Anna Dean Farm produce being loaded on to a rail car, on a special siding for the Perennial Gardens on the Akron Barberton Belt Line tracks. Although we take fresh produce for granted, at the beginning of the 20th Century fresh fruits and vegetables out of season were considered a real delicacy.
A view of the Heating Plant at the Perennial Gardens. Here you are looking north with Snyder Ave directly at the bottom of the photo. The Tuscarawas River would be to the left of this photo, just out of view.
This view shows the Perennial Gardens looking toward Snyder Ave. The building with the large smoke stack is the Heating Plant for the Perennial Gardens. Like the Heating House on Robinson Ave, this building contained a large double Stirling Boiler.
This is a cutaway view of the nearly two story Stirling Boiler in the Heating Plant of the Anna Dean Farm Perennial Gardens.
Power House - Garage
The Anna Dean Farm Power House and Auto Garage sat directly due east of the Mansion on the opposite side of the circular driveway. Here we see the Power House from across the reflecting pond, in the middle of the circular driveway.
Please notice the intricate diamond pattern in the brick of the Power House and Auto Garage. Only the Mansion, Power House, Apiary, Barn No 2, and Machine Barn were built using the diamond brick pattern, meant to represent the greatest source of Mr Barber's wealth, the Diamond Match Company.
An interesting fact about the Power House and Auto Garage is that it was the only building on the Anna Dean Farm to have a date stone set in Roman Numerals. The date 1910 is spelled out as MCMX on the second floor date stone of the Power House.
This building directly due east of the O. C. Barber Mansion served several purposes. Entering the large doors on the north west side of the building, you would find Mr. Barber's automobiles, which included a Pierce Arrow and a Peerless limousine.The doors on the south west side of the building is where the dynamo was to generate DC electric power to the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. In the basement of this building was a large set of doors on the north east side of the building. These doors entered into a walk-in area where the Stirling Boiler was kept to provide steam heat to the Mansion. The heat tunnel was large enough to walk through, connecting the Mansion and the Power House under ground.
On the second floor of the Power House and Auto Garage there were three sets of apartments comprising 18 individual rooms, sharing a common balcony on the Northwest roof corner. A huge skylight allowed natural light to filter down into all three apartments. Here we see the great fireplace in the main apartment of the Power House.
Brooder Barn
The Anna Dean Farm Brooder Barn at the corner of Quincy Ave and Second Street is the main building of the Anna Dean Farm Chicken Department. This 230 foot long structure is the home of 30,000 chickens, the primary variety being the White Leghorn.
The east side of the Brooder Barn as seen from the roof of the Barber Hotel. The building to the right of the Brooder Barn is the Turkey Barn. The chicken incubators are located in the walk in basement on the south end of the building. There are 20 hot water incubators in this room capable of hatching up to 12,000 eggs at one time.
White Leghorns behind the Brooder Barn, on the west side. Total egg production per day would equal 6,000 to 12,000 eggs in the incubators located in the basement of the Brooder Barn.
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Welcome to O.C. Barber Mansion
The O.C. Barber Mansion was an elegant and expansive residence built on the Anna Dean Farm by Barberton’s founder, O.C. Barber. Constructed between 1909 and 1910, the mansion showcased a French Renaissance Revival/Beaux Arts architectural style and included 52 rooms across three stories, along with a glass elevator, a grand staircase, and richly detailed interiors. Despite efforts to preserve it, the mansion was demolished in 1965. Because of the home’s remarkable craftsmanship and unique features, you can explore detailed descriptions and historical photos of many of its rooms on the “Mansion” page of the Barberton Historical Society’s website: https://www.annadeanfarm.org/history
Feed Barn
The Feed Barn is a very hard building to find any photos of. This photo shows in the upper left the Brooder Barn, and the Feed Barn is in the middle on the right side. The taller, Barber style building with the chimney is the Squabery Manager's Home. The Feed Barn was used to hold the chicken, duck, and pigeon food for the various departments located near it. The Feed Barn is an unusual building in that it is now built in the Beaux Arts, or Barber style of architecture. The Feed Barn is built of solid brown block and does not support a red tile room. Initially you would think that the Feed Barn was built prior to the development of the definitive Anna Dean Farm architectural style, however this is not true. The Feed Barn was built in 1910, and supports a date stone on the East side of the building in the gable underneath the lunette window.
Conservatory
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Conservatory. This special domed green house was built on the far north eastern corner of the Anna Dean Farm Greenhouse complex on Robinson Ave. This beautiful glass conservatory was built to house Mr. Barber's banana tree that was brought up from South America.
This is the inside of the O.C. Barber Conservatory, showing Mr. Barber's banana tree. Although we now take having bananas for granted they were considered quite rare at the turn of the 20th Century. Mr. Barber enjoyed his daily breakfast consisting of Anna Dean Farm cereal topped with fresh bananas from the Conservatory.
This is another view of the inside of the Conservatory showing some of the tropical palms grown for placement in the Mansion. Besides the famed banana tree the Conservatory was also used to grow palms and ferns that were both sold and used to decorate the Mansion.
Barber Park
Entering the Barber Park you would first pass the Main Gate House, sometimes called the Lodge House. Again if you look closely you can see the red stripped awnings on the Main Gate House although they are retracted in this view.
Here we see various views of the Barber Park as you drove up the curving driveway that led from the Main Gate House to the Mansion. This beautiful woods had been a corn field just a few short years before these photos were taken. In order to enhance the area O. C. Barber had large trees transplanted into the area so that the woods appeared like it had always been there.
Around the peripheral of the Barber Park, there was a Bridal Trail for horseback riding. Here we see Mr. and Mrs. Barber saddled up for a ride around the Barber Park on their horses, with the horses standing on Bridal Trail in the woods near the Mansion.
If you were a personal friend of Mr. Barber you were permitted to drive to the Mansion through the Main Gates of the Anna Dean Farm at Robinson and Fifth Street. Here we se e the Anna and Dean gate posts and the Main Gate House to the left. What is so unusual about this view is that we see the Gate House has its stripped awnings in place for the summer.
The 40 acre Barber Park acted as a buffer between Fifth Street and the Mansion. After entering the North gates next to the Main Gate House you drove up the winding road through the woods Mr. Barber had planted after the Mansion was built. In this area were the deer that grazed on the Anna Dean Farm, and so this area was ofte n called the Deer Park by the tourists.
Here we have a view of the Lilly Pond as Barber Drive gently curves past it up through Barber Park The Lilly Pond although man made, was created in such a way as to seem to be a natural lake in the woods.
Another view of the Bridal Trail in the Barber Park. Created exclusively for horse back riding the Bridal Trail wove through the Barber Park so that Mr. Barber's visitors on horseback could enjoy a natural woodland setting while out for a ride.
Green House Managers House
This is a view of the original set of 1910 green houses and the combination Green House Managers House and boiler room. Here we are looking at the Green House Managers House across the original set of eleven green houses from Third St. As Mr. Barber would quickly expand the green house complex on Robinson Ave to 5 acres it became necessary to build the Heating House to replace the original smaller boiler in the back of the Green House Managers House. This building continued on as the Green House Managers residence.
This is a view of the Green House Managers House as seen from Robinson Ave. This building was actually built ahead of the Heating House as a combination residence and boiler building. The back of the Green House Managers House contained a smaller boiler to heat the first group of green houses, built in 1910. In the front of the this building lived the Anna Dean Farm green house manager and his family.
Barber Dam
Here we see two men posing by the date stone of the O. C. Barber Dam. This 160 foot long structure was meant to dam up the water running in a stream under Fifth Street and provide water for use in the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses on Robinson Ave.
The O. C. Barber Dam, although it appears to be made of stone is actually a cast concrete structure, which Mr. Barber had faced with stone to make it more appealing. Here we see the completion of the Dam in 1910.
Barber Hotel
The Barber Hotel was one of the most unusual building on the 3500 acre Anna Dean Farm. The Barber Hotel was not really a hotel at all but a dormitory for the single Anna Dean Farm workers to live in. This brick 3 1/2 story building was located at the North end of the Scabby. The curving wall you see to the left outlined a road that ran off Third Street by Barn No 1, past the Oak Grove. The low wooden structure you see on the right side of the photo was the Wheel Room, that housed the mechanism to raise and lower the sluice gate that would drain the pond system and clean out the slaughter shop.
This is a view looking across the pond by the Concrete Bridge at the Barber Hotel. Notice the wooden wheel room to the right of the photo directly next to the hotel. This is the building that contained the large wheel that opened the sluice gate to drain the pond.
Here we see the Barber Hotel on the far right side of the photo. The Barber Hotel was the far northern building of the Poultry Department. The building just to the left of the Hotel is the Squabery and to the far left is the Squabery Managers Home.
Squabery
Here we see a very revealing photo of the Squabbery and the photos of the Squabbery Department. The building to the far left is the Poultry Managers Office, with the building right behind that being the Feed Barn. Next on the far left is the Squabbery Managers Home. This is the tall building near the left with the chimney. Like other Anna Dean Farm Departments the Squabbery Manager lived with his charges. In the middle the long low building is the Squabbery itself, where the pigeons were kept. The tall building to the far right is the East side of the Barber Hotel which directly abutted the Squabbery.
Here we see a close-up of the Squabbery pens. These iron pens used to house the squabs or pigeons were actually on the second floor east side of the Squabbery. The Squabbery pens were accessed from steel ladder placed on the East side of the Squabbery. The tall building to the far right of the Squabbery is the Barber Hotel.
Actually looking east down the inside of the iron pens that housed the squabs at the Squabbery. Each day Mr. Barber had for breakfast two squabs and a hearty bowl of Anna Dean Farm oatmeal.
Colt Barn
Originally constructed as a bull barn here we see the original bull run area on the east side of Colt Barn. After the colts were moved into this building the bull run area was modified into a fenced in paddock for the colts and mares to graze.
Interior view of the stanchion area of the first floor of the Colt Barn. This building was originally set up for bulls, but converted to housing colts in 1912.
This is the Colt Barn, which was built directly due west of Barn No 2 , on the south side of Anna Dean Lane. The Colt Barn was the smallest barn built on the Anna Dean Farm in the Barber style of Beaux Arts architecture that Mr. Barber was so fond of. The Colt Barn was constructed in 1910 to house bulls, and originally named Bull Barn No 2. In 1912, the Colt Barn was converted from a bull barn, to house colts and the mares in fold This occurred after Barn No. 2 was converted from a cow barn to a horse barn.
Upper hay mow area of the Colt Barn. The large concrete shoots allow hay to be lowered to the first floor for the animals.
This is a view of the Colt Barn today showing the patriot red, white and blue color scheme of the Colt Barn and the Anna Dean Farm barns.
Pump House
Located on western edge of the 35 acre Barber park, the Pump House was almost identical to the Apiary in its construction. This two story building contained the pumping mechanism to move water from the east to the west side of the Anna Dean Farm.
Pheasant Cottage
This is the Pheasant Cottage or Pheasant Managers Home. Like all department heads the Pheasant Manager lived near the fowl he cared for. In this area over 20,000 eggs could be harvested in any year. The Pheasants were of the Mongolian breed. The Pheasant Manager was also in charge of the dog kennels on the West side of the Farm.
Here we see some of the Mongolian Pheasants on the Anna Dean Farm. The male pheasants have the bright colors and nice markings. The hens are a plain brown and are easily camouflaged with their surroundings.
Piggery
This is the western side of the Piggery, or Calf Barn as it was known after 1917. This long majestic building was the first building you would see after you crossed the Robinson bridge and headed up Robinson Ave toward the Anna Dean Farm. At 300 feet long, with its patriotic red, white and blue color scheme, this was surely one of the most pleasant looking of the Anna Dean Farm barns. Upstairs in section three lived the Piggery barn boss and his family in a nice set of rooms that that looked down on the herd in the two wings of the barn. Like all barns on the Anna Dean Farm the Piggery was always kept clean and fresh.
This is the O.C. Barber Piggery as seen from Robinson Ave. This lavish barn, nicknamed the "Pork Palace" was the last major barn completed on the Anna Dean Farm. The Piggery was built in 1912 at a cost exceeding $50,000. Adjusting for inflation from 1912 to the present, this would be like spending over $750,000 in terms of present day dollars. The Piggery was used initially to house the Berkshire swine on the Anna Dean Farm until 1915. In 1915 a case of cholera was detected in the herd of swine and the entire herd had to be destroyed. After this occurred the Piggery was completely scrubbed down with bleach and sheep were moved into the structure. The swine herd was replenished, but they were moved to simple wooden "A" frame structures behind the Robinson Ave. Green houses. The sheep would occupy the Piggery only from 1915 to 1917. O.C. Barber did not like the fact that the sheep pulled the grass out by its roots, thus killing it, when they grazed. This was the same problem that caused friction between cattle ranchers and sheep herders in the Old West. Sheep can destroy the grass lands that they graze on leaving only a dusty area, where the grass once grew. Cattle and other grazing animals only nibble at the top of the grass, thus leaving it alive. Tiring of seeing the Piggery sit in the middle of a growing desert, and having to take the sheep further and further from the Piggery to graze, Mr. Barber sold the entire herd off in 1917. From 1917 until 1920, the Piggery was used to house young calves on the Anna Dean Farm and renamed the Calf Barn. All of the grass surrounding the Piggery had to be replanted after the sheep were sold off.
Here we see some of the Berkshire Swine, or hogs, outside of the Piggery. The top photo shows one of the Berkshire Boars, with the sows milling around the East side of the Piggery in the central photo. The bottom, oval shaped photo shows the Berkshire's milling around south west of the Piggery. After the hogs were slaughtered en masse in 1915, for catching the cholera, Mr. Barber erected wooden "A" frame buildings to individually house the hogs. These new wooden structures were located between the Piggery and Brooder Barn initially, but were later moved to the area between the Robinson Greenhouses and Barn No 1. In the bottom oval photo you see one of these new wooden hog houses located near the middle of the photo. Barn No 1 can be seen to the left, with the towers, and the tall building just to the left of the Chestnut tree is the Barber Hotel.
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The Stock Barn
The bales of hay you see covered in the field behind the Stock Barn are all covered with monogrammed Anna Dean Farm hay blankets. There were hundreds of these monogrammed hay blankets on the Anna Dean Farm.
Here we see a view looking north across the Concrete Bridge on Third Street SE, near the Oak Grove. The wooden barn in the background framed by one of the oaks from the Oak Grove, is the wooden Stock Barn that had belonged to Huston Kepler. This original wooden Kepler Barn was left by Mr. Barber on the Farm and used as a cow barn. The Stock Barn sat on Robinson Ave between the Piggery and the Heating House.
Bull Barn No. 1
This view of Bull Barn No 1, shows the newly finished Concrete Bridge on Third Street SE, and Barn No 1, which is located just to the south of Bull Barn No 1.
Built in the Roman Basilica style of architecture, Bull Barn No 1, was built to house ten bulls. Bull Barn No. 1 was built directly due north of Barn No 1. The first cow barn to be built, Barn No. 1, was built in 1909 to house the dairy herd.
In order to separate the bulls from each other, the bull pen areas outside the north side of Bull Barn No. 1 are separated with concrete posts and rails. These posts and rails are very similar to the concrete fence that bordered the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. However in the fencing for the bull runs, the rails are stacked directly on top of each other. This ads strength to the fence and prohibits the bulls from seeing each other.
Each bull in Bull Barn No 1 had his own interior steel box stall, with individual watering trough and hay mow. Notice that the individual bull pens are separated by a wooden partition. This kept the animals calm, as bulls are very competitive by nature.
Taking one of the Anna Dean Farm bulls out for exercise required special equipment. Here we see one of the Farm workers attaching a steel bull staff to the ring in the bulls nose. In this way one worker could easily control one of the huge bulls.
Mansion Grounds
Here we see the grounds immediately surrounding the Mansion. These are the immediate environs of the Mansion. This is an early aerial view taken from a blimp or hot air balloon.
This view of the Mansion on the East side shows the back porch and all of the heavy plantings around the Mansion.
Moving closer to the rear of the Mansion, which sat on the circular driveway we see the breakfast room, and note the top of the Mansion's elevator shaft with its glass domed ceiling. One of the things that O. C. Barber imported into Barberton from China, was the Ailanthus tree, or Tree of Heaven. This exotic tree was planted around the Mansion and unfortunately quickly spread to much of the Barberton area. You will find these trees with their bad odor growing wild in much of Barberton.
Here we see Mr and Mrs Barber and their three dogs walking around the Mansion. Here they are on the sidewalk running between the Mansion and the Powerhouse. The Mansion is in the background.
The Mansion looking north west from the entry drive at the fork in the road on the circular driveway. The shrubbery surrounding the concrete planter is bayberry.
This is a rare view of the pond in the middle of the circular driveway that separated the Mansion and the Power House. Here we see the fountain running in the middle of the pond on the island of boulders at the center of the pond.
This view of the Power House / Auto Garage is taken from the roof of the Mansion looking east, overlooking the purple Martin birdhouse on the pillar.
This is a close-up of the forty room purple Martin house on top the birdhouse pillar. This birdhouse was approximately six foot high. The top part of this purple Martin house was modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia and contained a working clock that chimed out the hour.
This is the view of the walkway from the North side of the Mansion terrace. You notice the Mansion in the distance. This walkway was heavily planted in flowers. On the left you see the thatched summer house.
This is a view of Mr. Barber and the dogs, Laddy Boy, Paddy, and Bob posing on one of the concrete bench near the Wishing Well.
This is a view of the O. C. Barber Wishing Well, or as it was often called, The Old Oaken Bucket. The Wishing Well is on the path leading from the North terrace of the Mansion.
The Wishing Well was one of the premier tourist attractions on the East side of the Anna Dean Farm. Here on a Sunday tourists pose on the Wishing Well.
This is a view of the South west corner the Mansion looking across the front lawn to the double rows of concrete grape arbors. These arbors ran east to west on the Mansion grounds, north west of the Mansion.
The grape arbors looking due east through the South grape arbor with the West side of the Mansion in the background.
A close-up of the grapes on the grape arbors after they have come into full bloom. Here we see O.C. Barber samples the concord grapes. The dogs from left to right were Paddy, Bob, and Laddy Boy.
This is a view looking west at the four rose arbors at the western end of the grounds of the Mansion. In the distance you see the twin towers of Barn No 3.
A close-up of the rose arbors with the profusion of roses on the rose arbors. In this view the roses are just coming into bloom.
This is the formal garden area west of the rose arbors. The arches are wooden rose trellis, and in the distance you see one of the formal flower pots in this area.
Close-up of concrete planter and pedestal with serpents body for handle. This was in the formal garden of the Mansion. This is one of the most unusual planters on the Anna Dean Farm. This planter is very much keeping with the art nouveau style.
Mrs. Barber (left) and Mr. Barber's secretary Alice Bonsteadt posing with Laddy Boy near one of the arched wooden rose trellis that lead into the private kitchen garden on the North end of the Mansion.
Alice Bonsteadt on the Mansion terrace near the concrete balustrade and Mansion planter. This photo was taken on the formal west side of the Mansion, which over looked Barberton.
Mrs. Barber standing and Ohio Columbus Barber sitting pose with Laddy Boy on one of the Mansion's concrete benches on the terrace on the West side of the Mansion.
Apiary
The Anna Dean Farm Apiary, was located directly south of the Power House. This building was devoted to maintaining the bee keeping supplies for over 150 hives. The Anna Dean Farm hives kept the flowers and fruit trees and bushes planted around the Mansion well pollinated. Honey production was over 6000 pounds annually.
One of the smallest buildings built on the Anna Dean Farm, the Apiary was outfitted in the diamond brick pattern used on the Mansion and the buildings built closest to the Mansion.
These are various views of Apiary, from his book, "The Story of an American Farm" the last great project of Ohio C. Barber's life.
Barn No.1
After 1910, the US Government changed the health regulations for the production and handling of milk and this required new barn designs. The new barns were designed to house cows on a washable concrete floor in steel pipe stanchion. Steel ducts, encased in wood lead from the ground floor of the barns on the Anna Dean Farm up to the coupolas on top of the roof. This system provided fresh air for the cows and a series of windows gave light to the stanchion areas. In addition to these Government requirements the cow barns on the Anna Dean Farm also featured windows that opened to allow for cross ventilation. O. C. Barber also installed large electric fans to help circulate air within the cow barns to furthur keep the cattle comfortable.
This is a view of west side of Barn No 1, the first cattle barn, built on the Anna Dean Farm. Completed in 1909, Barn No 1 was quickly dubbed the largest barn in the world by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Here we see the interior stanchion area of Barn No 1. Here the Guernsey cattle stand facing into the middle area of Barn No 1. The cattle are fed by having their food placed on a moving conveyor.
Various views of Barn No 1, taken in 1913. Barn No 1. although it was the first cow barn built on the Anna Dean Farm, it would turn out to be the smallest cow barn built. Barn No 1, is also the only barn constructed with three silos.
Poultry Manager's Home
Here we see the Poultry Manager's Home. Unlike most of the Department Heads on the Anna Dean Farm, the Poultry Manager had his own free standing building and did not live in living quarters in the barn that he managed. Here the Poultry Manager lived with his family, directly to the south of the Brooder Barn and almost across the street from his office.
The Poultry Manager's Home is a simple house, built entirely of concrete block unlike most of the rest of the buildings on the Anna Dean Farm which were made of red brick and white block with red tile roofs. Here the manager and the family of the Poultry Department lived in this well kept home.
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Chicken Yard
This is a view of the Chicken Yard in the Anna Dean Poultry Department. Across Second Street, on the hill, you can see the Brooder Barn. The Poultry Department consisted of the Feed Barn, the Chicken and Duck Yards, the Poultry Manager's Office, and the Poultry Manager's home, all located in close proximity to each other.
Here we see a view of the Chicken Yard with the Poultry Manager's Office, which is the brick and block structure on Second Street. In the distance is the all white block Poultry Manager's Home. Near the bottom of the photo you see the Anna Dean Farm Smoke House, with the red tile roof and next to it is a gardener's shack made out of concrete block.
This is a view looking from the Hotel to the south west. Here we see the Brooder Barn in the distance to the left and the Turkey Barn to the right. Near the bottom of the photo you see the inside of the concrete wall of the Chicken Yard.
The Chicken Yard and Duck Yard were actually the areas between an 1100 foot long wall that ran along Second Street and the Squabbery. The Ducks were kept separated from the Chickens by a wall that connected the Feed Barn and the Poultry Manager's Office. In initially the Chickens were located in the yard north of the Poultry Manager's Office and the ducks were located in the yard south of the Poultry Manager's Office. The brooder hens were kept laying eggs in the Brooder Barn, while the roosters and non laying hens were kept in the Chicken Yard.
Heating House
The Heating House on Robinson Ave is a very unusual building. Built to nestle into the hillside between the Green Houses and Robinson Ave, the Heating House was used to house the two twin Babcock and Wilcox built Stirling Boilers. Here we see the Heating House from across the Green Houses, looking north from Barn No 1.
With the large original towering Chestnut tree in front of the Heating House this building appears small when viewed from Robinson Ave. In actuality the Heating House is three stories tall and is one of the larger out buildings on the Anna Dean Farm.
The east side or main entrance to the Heating House. This building is split into two separate halves. The boiler side (west end of the building) houses the double Stirling Boilers. The east side, shown here, housed a three story area used as offices and storage for the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses.
The Heating House seen from Robinson looking south west. This three story 14,000 square foot building houses both the double Stirling Boilers and the offices for the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses.
The bent tube design of the Stirling Boiler, shown here in a cut away view, was used to provide 300 pounds of steam. The steam from the Heating House's double steam boilers was used to provide steam heat not only to heat the green houses, but also to provide steam to drive the electric dynamo that provided DC power in underground cables to power the barns and outbuildings on the western side of the Anna Dean Farm.
Stoking the double Stirlings. In order to maintain steam to the dynamo to provide electric power, one side of the Stirling boiler had to be run at all times, even during the summer. This double, bent tube, boiler arrangement was first patented by Alan Stirling in 1891. The Stirling Company, with O. C. Barber as president, soon moved to the new town of Barberton in 1892. In 1906 The Stirling Company merged with Babcock and Wilcox of New York.
Main Office
These are interior view of the Anna Dean Farm office. To quote Mr. Barber, "for with characteristic genius for handling with equal skill minute specific details and huge general problems, Mr. Barber keeps his fingers upon the keys that operate the smallest as well as the largest of its activities"
Here are two views of the Farm Office taken from the Anna Dean Farm book. The Office as it was called connected directly to the Mansion by telephone, so that Mr. Barber could keep track of all of the Farm's production and activities.
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Office. This building was located on the corner of Robinson Ave and the Belt Line Railroad. This is the North west corner of the building. Here all of the business of the Farm was conducted. The back of this building where you see the chimney is where the concrete rails for the concrete fence were cast.
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Anna Dean Farm Concrete Bridge
This view taken from the Concrete Bridge looks across the large pond running underneath the Bridge. Here to the right we see the Turkey Barn with the Brooder Barn being in the middle of the photo. The large building to the left of the photo is the Barber Hotel, and the small building directly to the right of the Hotel is the Wheel Room. The purpose of the Wheel Room was to manage the large sluice gate that would empty the large pond, when the basement of the slaughter shop needed to be cleaned out, with water.
This photo of the Concrete Bridge on the Anna Dean Farm was taken in 1910, prior to the construction of the Heating House. The Greenhouse Managers Home can be seen with the tall chimney to the left of the picture.
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Concrete Bridge on Third Street, just north of Barn No 1. Beneath and in front of the Concrete Bridge was the largest of the ponds on the Anna Dean Farm.
Here we see Spotswood Daisy Pearl posing in front of the Concrete Bridge, with Barn No 1, in the background. This 160' long bridge was the same length as the Anna Dean Farm Dam.
Sunday was tourist day on the Anna Dean Farm. Each Sunday the Anna Dean Farm was thrown open for free tours. One of the great photo spots on the Farm was underneath the arch of the Concrete Bridge. Here we see a man and two women posing under the arch of the bridge. This photo also demonstrates just how high the Concrete Bridge actually was.
In this photo we see the newly completed Concrete Bridge and to the left of the photo we see Bull Barn No 1 and the tower barn is Barn No 1, the first cow barn on the Anna Dean Farm. Notice the large oak to the right of the photo. The area directly south of and abutting the large pond was the Oak Grove. The Oak Grove, with its benches and bird house pillar was the picnic grove on the Anna Dean Farm. Here each Sunday happy picnickers would stop and enjoy a respite by the Concrete Bridge and large pond.
Anna Dean Farm Flour Mill
This building standing on the extreme west side of the Farm was directly due east of the Akron, Barberton Belt Rail Road tracks. Here we see the fleet of trucks and cars from the Anna Dean Farm posing in front of the Mill.
The Mill showing all of the Anna Dean Farm products sold through the Mill.PHEASANTS, SQUABS, POULTRY, DUCKS, GUERNSEY CATTLE, SANITARY MILK, BUTTER, AND EGGS, FRESH FRUIT, AND FANCY HAMS AND BACONS, MILL FEEDS AND MALTED CEREAL.
Here we see a composite photo of the Mill and several of the belt driven Anna Dean Farm Flour Mill grinding machines.
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Green House Complex
Here we see some photos of the interior of the green houses. The top two photos shows clusters of grapes in one of the green houses on Robinson Ave. In the next photo taken from Robinson Ave, you see the Barber Conservatory on the left, the Green House Managers Home in the middle and the Heating House on the far extreme right. The bottom photo shows the Green House managers home and some of the first green houses built behind it.
This is a view of the Green house complex on Robinson Ave. The Green houses built on Robinson Ave, by Ohio C. Barber were used to grow flowers and fruits. The white house pictured on the left hand side of the photo is the Samuel Keppler house. This house was on the property when Mr. Barber acquired it in 1905 and was left standing. It served as a home for one of the family men, working on the Anna Dean Farm. Next to the Keppler house, you see the largest of the green house buildings. This is the Heating House and was used to house the twin Stirling boilers that heated the green houses. Directly due east of the Heating House you can see the Green House Managers Home. This is where the manager of the green houses lived with his family. Finally you see the 5 acres of green houses stretching out on the property.
This is a view of the Rose house in the greenhouse complex with the roses in bloom.
Here we see the Heating House on the right, the Green house managers home in the center and the Conservatory on the far left. In front of the Heating House we see a large Chestnut tree that was growing on the Samuel Keppler property when O.C. Barber acquired it. Always respectful of big beautiful trees O.C. Barber actually left this tree stand in front of the Heating House without disturbing it, actually building the Heating House behind it. For the most part the barns and out buildings on the Anna Dean Farm, have no trees growing near them. Only the Mansion and grounds were landscaped. Mr. Barber believed that you should be able to look between the barns and outbuildings without many visual obstructions.
This is a view of the Orchard house with the orchids in full bloom
Machine Barn
This is a view of the Machine Barn, or Implement House on the Anna Dean Farm. This building housed the black smith shop as well as the service and storage area for the Anna Dean Farm tractors and equipment.
Another view of the Machine Barn which sits directly due north of Barn No 2. In the background you see the towers of Barn No 2, peaking over the top of the Machine Barn.
After 1910, the US Government changed the health regulations for the production and handling of milk and this required new barn designs. The new barns were designed to house cows on a washable concrete floor in steel pipe stanchion. Steel ducts, encased in wood lead from the ground floor of the barns on the Anna Dean Farm up to the coupol as on top of the roof. This system provided fresh air for the cows and a series of windows gave light to the stanchion areas. In addition to these Government requirements the cow barns on the Anna Dean Farm also featured windows that opened to allow for cross ve ntilation. O. C. Barber also installed large electric fans to help circulate air within the cow barns to furthur keep the cattle comfortable.
Barn No. 3
Spotswood Daisy Pearl, the second greatest cow on the Anna Dean Farm and the queen of Barn No 3.
This is a postcard view of Barn No. 3. Although not really quite 800 feet long, with its actual length being 751 feet.
Another full page photo from the Star Line equipment catalog shows the interior of Barn No 3, just after construction was completed in 1912. At this point of time the interior of the Barn No 3 is pristine, as no cows have yet been moved into the building. Barn No 3 had 150 individual pens for the cattle.
Anna Dean Farm workers pose outside of the dormitory entrance to Barn No 3 in 1913.
Built in 1912 as one of the last barns on the Anna Dean Farm, Barn No 3, was simply put, a cow palace. Heated to protect the cattle in the winter and cooled by electric fans in the summer, Barn No 3 was the largest, most opulent barn in the world. In 1912 Barn No 3, alone, cost Ohio C. Barber over $1,000,000 to construct. However in 1912 a US d ollar had 15 times the buying power it does in the 21st century. In terms of our money imagine a barn costing $15,000,000 to build and you should be able to understand the size and scope of this magnificent building. Each wing of Barn No. 3 was longer than entire length of Barn No 1, the Piggery or the Brooder Barn. In late 1912, Ohio C. Barber wrote a letter to his daughter Anna in Chicago to describe Barn No. 3, and simply said, "You should see the new barn, its a Dusey!"
Barn No 3 as seen near Portsmouth Ave, looking at the West side. The large area between the silos on the West side of the barn is the dormitory for single men working on the Anna Dean Farm. Barn No 3's dormitory and the Hotel housed most of the single men on the Farm. Notice that the recently harvested hay is covered with blankets to keep it fresh. These hay blankets were each individually monogrammed ANNA DEAN FARM.
It was nearly impossible to get a photograph of Barn No 3 due to its extreme length. Here we are looking west on Anna Dean Lane just west of the Mansion service drive at Barn No 3. Notice that Anna Dean Lane is lined with elm trees, which Mr. Barber has had transplanted.
One of the great attributes to any of the Anna Dean Farm barns was their cleanliness. Here again we see the interior of Barn No. 3 and the immaculate condition in which it was kept on the inside.
Barn No 3, as viewed from Snyder Ave looking north east. Notice the concrete post and steel picket fence than ran around the western side of the Anna Dean Farm. Also please note the center area on the west side of Barn No 3. This area comprised of a three story dormitory area for single men working on the Anna Dean Farm.
O. C. Barber used Star Line Equipment on the Anna Dean Farm exclusively. This photo of Barn No 3 taken looking north west shows this mammoth barn just after construction. This photo was the pride of the Star Line Equipment catalog, and this catalog lists the barn as costing over $1,000,000.
An aerial view looking down on Barn No 3. This magnificent building was built at a cost of over $1,000,000 in 1912.
The second floor hay mow, standing in the center of Barn No 3 and looking south toward one end of the building.
Farm Manager's House (South Gate House)
This building at the intersection of Anna Dean Lane and Ohio 619 (Fifth Street) is the entrance most used by the public to the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. The building served as a dual purpose, being both the south gate house and the Anna Dean Farm Managers Home. Again, just as at the north gate house, the gate posts are clearly marked ANNA and DEAN to reflect the names of Mr. Barber's daughter Anna Laura and her husband Arthur Dean Bevan.
This view of the Farm Managers home was taken on a Saturday. Notice the wagons of silage with the Farm Managers Home or south gate house in the background. The long straight driveway (Anna Dean Lane) led through this second set of Farm gates and up to the Mansion, which is situated to the north of the roadway. Anna Dean Lane proceeded east beyond the Mansion passing between the Colt Barn and Barn No 2.
This photo was taken the very next day is Sunday. Notice that all of the silage has not been put away from the wagon. Also please notice the Mansion near the upper left of the photo and the tourists and Model T's lining both Fifth Street and Anna Dean Lane. On Sundays, the Anna Dean Farm was open for public tours. The people would flock to the Farm to picnic and visit the Mansion and various barns and outbuildings. We feel that tourism of the existing buildings on the Anna Dean Farm can again become a weekly reality, and an economic stimulus for Barberton.
Barn No. 2
Originally constructed in 1910 for cattle, Barn No 2 was converted to a horse Barn in 1912. Here we see some of the team horses on the Anna Dean Farm who resided at Barn No 2.
Here we see the courtyard of Barn No 2 used to host a real estate company picnic on the Anna Dean Farm. Again tourism was a big part of the Anna Dean Farm at the beginning of the 20th Century and we feel that it can again play a part in Barberton's development in the 21st Century.
This postcard view of taken from behind the Power House is of Barn No 2. This is the large towered building on the right. On the left of the photo we see the Machine Barn or Implement House on the Anna Dean Farm.
This is a view of Jupiter Chief in the court yard of Barn No 2. Jupiter Chief was the prize Belgian stallion on the Anna Dean Farm. This breed of horse, a slightly smaller cousin of the Clydesdale, weighted in at 2000 pounds. Jupiter Chief was known for his thick mane and shining dappled chestnut coat.
Perhaps the prettiest of the Anna Dean Farm barns is Barn No 2. This large U shaped cattle barn faces Anna Dean Lane in a 1912 postcard view.
The Creamery
The inside of the Creamery showing some of the milk processing equipment. Here they processed in a sanitary manner up to 10,000 pounds of milk per day.
This is a view of the O. C. Barber Creamery, built in 1909, at the same time Barn No 1 was constructed. The Creamery is located directly due east of Barn No 1 and it was here that all of the milk was bottled and the Anna Dean Farm ice cream was made.
Here we see one of the milk wagons on the Anna Dean Farm. These wagons began their journey in the early morning from the Creamery and peddled their milk around Barberton. Notice the sign on the back of the wagon is a drawing of Barn No 2 and a large version of an Anna Dean Farm milk bottle.
Here we see the West side of the busy Anna Dean Farm Creamery. The rear of this building was used to bottle the milk and make ice cream on the Farm. Notice near the center of this photo you see a set of steps that rise up the loading dock area in the Creamery. Near the side door for the apartment we see a Model T. Ford, one of the pieces of modern equipment used to move about the massive 3500 acre Farm.
Close up of the sign on the the Anna Dean Farm Milk Wagons.
North Gate House
This building, the north or main, gatehouse at Fifth and Robinson Ave was the main entrance to the Mansion area, and O. C. Barber's Anna Dean Farm. Mr. Barber had named his 3500 acre estate after his only daughter, Anna Laura, and her husband, Arthur Dean Bevan, hence the name Anna Dean on the gate posts.
This is a view seldom seen by the general public. We have entered the Anna Dean Farm gates to the left of the photo and we are looking across one of the flower beds at the north east corner of the north or main gatehouse.
Here we have a view of the Main Gate House, with its surrounding wall. The Main Gate House, or Lodge House as it is sometimes called sits prominently at the corner of Fifth and Robinson Ave.
This postcard view shows the beauty of the main gate house. The gates swung open on to the well landscaped 40 acre Barber Park. The driveway between the gates, gently curved up through the woods leading to the O. C. Barber Mansion. Only Mr. Barber, and his friends were allowed to drive through this entrance up to the Mansion.
Duck Yard
Originally located on the Anna Dean Farm near the chicken yard, the Duck Department was later relocated to Copley, Ohio due to complaints about the ducks’ early-morning quacking. The Duck Department was part of O.C. Barber’s expansive 5,000-acre Anna Dean Farms and was situated on one of the estate’s outlying properties.The location was personally selected by Mr. Barber, as its unique natural conditions could not be replicated elsewhere on the estate. The site featured rolling woodland, open fields, a winding stream, and a broad, tree-lined lagoon, an ideal environment for duck farming. The Duck Farm’s facilities included a two-story concrete building with a cellar nearly 100 square feet, designed as an incubation center capable of hatching thousands of eggs. The main floor housed a rat-tight, moisture-proof storage room. Two brooder houses were also on site, with pens equipped with hot-water–heated hovers and connected to individual outdoor runs. Additional housing for breeding stock was located near the lagoon, while nearby fields were cultivated with oats and rye to provide feed for the ducks. The farm was fully equipped with facilities for killing, picking, packing, and cold storage. It was home to thousands of White Pekin ducks, and according to Barber’s own account, the facility was designed to accommodate up to 100,000 ducks. In practice, the farm raised as many as 50,000 ducks per year.
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Transcript
Perennial Gardens
There were two sets of green houses on the Anna Dean Farm. On Robinson Ave Mr. Barber built the fruit and flower green houses. The Anna Dean Farm, fruit and flower green houses occupied five acres. On Snyder Ave however, he constructed the seven acre Anna Dean Farm Perennial Gardens. Here we see one of the Anna Dean Farm Perennial Garden trucks loaded with produce for market
Interior of one of the vegetable areas in the Perennial Gardens. All plants were planted in elevated concrete beds, to make tending the plants easier on the workers.
Planting and tending to starter plants in the Perennial Gardens. The Anna Dean Farm employed over 250 workers at all times of the year.
Looking east up Snyder Ave with some of the Perennial Garden green houses on your left. The Perennial Gardens were the largest set of the three green house complexes on the Anna Dean Farm.
Fresh Anna Dean Farm produce being loaded on to a rail car, on a special siding for the Perennial Gardens on the Akron Barberton Belt Line tracks. Although we take fresh produce for granted, at the beginning of the 20th Century fresh fruits and vegetables out of season were considered a real delicacy.
A view of the Heating Plant at the Perennial Gardens. Here you are looking north with Snyder Ave directly at the bottom of the photo. The Tuscarawas River would be to the left of this photo, just out of view.
This view shows the Perennial Gardens looking toward Snyder Ave. The building with the large smoke stack is the Heating Plant for the Perennial Gardens. Like the Heating House on Robinson Ave, this building contained a large double Stirling Boiler.
This is a cutaway view of the nearly two story Stirling Boiler in the Heating Plant of the Anna Dean Farm Perennial Gardens.
Power House - Garage
The Anna Dean Farm Power House and Auto Garage sat directly due east of the Mansion on the opposite side of the circular driveway. Here we see the Power House from across the reflecting pond, in the middle of the circular driveway.
Please notice the intricate diamond pattern in the brick of the Power House and Auto Garage. Only the Mansion, Power House, Apiary, Barn No 2, and Machine Barn were built using the diamond brick pattern, meant to represent the greatest source of Mr Barber's wealth, the Diamond Match Company.
An interesting fact about the Power House and Auto Garage is that it was the only building on the Anna Dean Farm to have a date stone set in Roman Numerals. The date 1910 is spelled out as MCMX on the second floor date stone of the Power House.
This building directly due east of the O. C. Barber Mansion served several purposes. Entering the large doors on the north west side of the building, you would find Mr. Barber's automobiles, which included a Pierce Arrow and a Peerless limousine.The doors on the south west side of the building is where the dynamo was to generate DC electric power to the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. In the basement of this building was a large set of doors on the north east side of the building. These doors entered into a walk-in area where the Stirling Boiler was kept to provide steam heat to the Mansion. The heat tunnel was large enough to walk through, connecting the Mansion and the Power House under ground.
On the second floor of the Power House and Auto Garage there were three sets of apartments comprising 18 individual rooms, sharing a common balcony on the Northwest roof corner. A huge skylight allowed natural light to filter down into all three apartments. Here we see the great fireplace in the main apartment of the Power House.
Brooder Barn
The Anna Dean Farm Brooder Barn at the corner of Quincy Ave and Second Street is the main building of the Anna Dean Farm Chicken Department. This 230 foot long structure is the home of 30,000 chickens, the primary variety being the White Leghorn.
The east side of the Brooder Barn as seen from the roof of the Barber Hotel. The building to the right of the Brooder Barn is the Turkey Barn. The chicken incubators are located in the walk in basement on the south end of the building. There are 20 hot water incubators in this room capable of hatching up to 12,000 eggs at one time.
White Leghorns behind the Brooder Barn, on the west side. Total egg production per day would equal 6,000 to 12,000 eggs in the incubators located in the basement of the Brooder Barn.
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Welcome to O.C. Barber Mansion
The O.C. Barber Mansion was an elegant and expansive residence built on the Anna Dean Farm by Barberton’s founder, O.C. Barber. Constructed between 1909 and 1910, the mansion showcased a French Renaissance Revival/Beaux Arts architectural style and included 52 rooms across three stories, along with a glass elevator, a grand staircase, and richly detailed interiors. Despite efforts to preserve it, the mansion was demolished in 1965. Because of the home’s remarkable craftsmanship and unique features, you can explore detailed descriptions and historical photos of many of its rooms on the “Mansion” page of the Barberton Historical Society’s website: https://www.annadeanfarm.org/history
Feed Barn
The Feed Barn is a very hard building to find any photos of. This photo shows in the upper left the Brooder Barn, and the Feed Barn is in the middle on the right side. The taller, Barber style building with the chimney is the Squabery Manager's Home. The Feed Barn was used to hold the chicken, duck, and pigeon food for the various departments located near it. The Feed Barn is an unusual building in that it is now built in the Beaux Arts, or Barber style of architecture. The Feed Barn is built of solid brown block and does not support a red tile room. Initially you would think that the Feed Barn was built prior to the development of the definitive Anna Dean Farm architectural style, however this is not true. The Feed Barn was built in 1910, and supports a date stone on the East side of the building in the gable underneath the lunette window.
Conservatory
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Conservatory. This special domed green house was built on the far north eastern corner of the Anna Dean Farm Greenhouse complex on Robinson Ave. This beautiful glass conservatory was built to house Mr. Barber's banana tree that was brought up from South America.
This is the inside of the O.C. Barber Conservatory, showing Mr. Barber's banana tree. Although we now take having bananas for granted they were considered quite rare at the turn of the 20th Century. Mr. Barber enjoyed his daily breakfast consisting of Anna Dean Farm cereal topped with fresh bananas from the Conservatory.
This is another view of the inside of the Conservatory showing some of the tropical palms grown for placement in the Mansion. Besides the famed banana tree the Conservatory was also used to grow palms and ferns that were both sold and used to decorate the Mansion.
Barber Park
Entering the Barber Park you would first pass the Main Gate House, sometimes called the Lodge House. Again if you look closely you can see the red stripped awnings on the Main Gate House although they are retracted in this view.
Here we see various views of the Barber Park as you drove up the curving driveway that led from the Main Gate House to the Mansion. This beautiful woods had been a corn field just a few short years before these photos were taken. In order to enhance the area O. C. Barber had large trees transplanted into the area so that the woods appeared like it had always been there.
Around the peripheral of the Barber Park, there was a Bridal Trail for horseback riding. Here we see Mr. and Mrs. Barber saddled up for a ride around the Barber Park on their horses, with the horses standing on Bridal Trail in the woods near the Mansion.
If you were a personal friend of Mr. Barber you were permitted to drive to the Mansion through the Main Gates of the Anna Dean Farm at Robinson and Fifth Street. Here we se e the Anna and Dean gate posts and the Main Gate House to the left. What is so unusual about this view is that we see the Gate House has its stripped awnings in place for the summer.
The 40 acre Barber Park acted as a buffer between Fifth Street and the Mansion. After entering the North gates next to the Main Gate House you drove up the winding road through the woods Mr. Barber had planted after the Mansion was built. In this area were the deer that grazed on the Anna Dean Farm, and so this area was ofte n called the Deer Park by the tourists.
Here we have a view of the Lilly Pond as Barber Drive gently curves past it up through Barber Park The Lilly Pond although man made, was created in such a way as to seem to be a natural lake in the woods.
Another view of the Bridal Trail in the Barber Park. Created exclusively for horse back riding the Bridal Trail wove through the Barber Park so that Mr. Barber's visitors on horseback could enjoy a natural woodland setting while out for a ride.
Green House Managers House
This is a view of the original set of 1910 green houses and the combination Green House Managers House and boiler room. Here we are looking at the Green House Managers House across the original set of eleven green houses from Third St. As Mr. Barber would quickly expand the green house complex on Robinson Ave to 5 acres it became necessary to build the Heating House to replace the original smaller boiler in the back of the Green House Managers House. This building continued on as the Green House Managers residence.
This is a view of the Green House Managers House as seen from Robinson Ave. This building was actually built ahead of the Heating House as a combination residence and boiler building. The back of the Green House Managers House contained a smaller boiler to heat the first group of green houses, built in 1910. In the front of the this building lived the Anna Dean Farm green house manager and his family.
Barber Dam
Here we see two men posing by the date stone of the O. C. Barber Dam. This 160 foot long structure was meant to dam up the water running in a stream under Fifth Street and provide water for use in the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses on Robinson Ave.
The O. C. Barber Dam, although it appears to be made of stone is actually a cast concrete structure, which Mr. Barber had faced with stone to make it more appealing. Here we see the completion of the Dam in 1910.
Barber Hotel
The Barber Hotel was one of the most unusual building on the 3500 acre Anna Dean Farm. The Barber Hotel was not really a hotel at all but a dormitory for the single Anna Dean Farm workers to live in. This brick 3 1/2 story building was located at the North end of the Scabby. The curving wall you see to the left outlined a road that ran off Third Street by Barn No 1, past the Oak Grove. The low wooden structure you see on the right side of the photo was the Wheel Room, that housed the mechanism to raise and lower the sluice gate that would drain the pond system and clean out the slaughter shop.
This is a view looking across the pond by the Concrete Bridge at the Barber Hotel. Notice the wooden wheel room to the right of the photo directly next to the hotel. This is the building that contained the large wheel that opened the sluice gate to drain the pond.
Here we see the Barber Hotel on the far right side of the photo. The Barber Hotel was the far northern building of the Poultry Department. The building just to the left of the Hotel is the Squabery and to the far left is the Squabery Managers Home.
Squabery
Here we see a very revealing photo of the Squabbery and the photos of the Squabbery Department. The building to the far left is the Poultry Managers Office, with the building right behind that being the Feed Barn. Next on the far left is the Squabbery Managers Home. This is the tall building near the left with the chimney. Like other Anna Dean Farm Departments the Squabbery Manager lived with his charges. In the middle the long low building is the Squabbery itself, where the pigeons were kept. The tall building to the far right is the East side of the Barber Hotel which directly abutted the Squabbery.
Here we see a close-up of the Squabbery pens. These iron pens used to house the squabs or pigeons were actually on the second floor east side of the Squabbery. The Squabbery pens were accessed from steel ladder placed on the East side of the Squabbery. The tall building to the far right of the Squabbery is the Barber Hotel.
Actually looking east down the inside of the iron pens that housed the squabs at the Squabbery. Each day Mr. Barber had for breakfast two squabs and a hearty bowl of Anna Dean Farm oatmeal.
Colt Barn
Originally constructed as a bull barn here we see the original bull run area on the east side of Colt Barn. After the colts were moved into this building the bull run area was modified into a fenced in paddock for the colts and mares to graze.
Interior view of the stanchion area of the first floor of the Colt Barn. This building was originally set up for bulls, but converted to housing colts in 1912.
This is the Colt Barn, which was built directly due west of Barn No 2 , on the south side of Anna Dean Lane. The Colt Barn was the smallest barn built on the Anna Dean Farm in the Barber style of Beaux Arts architecture that Mr. Barber was so fond of. The Colt Barn was constructed in 1910 to house bulls, and originally named Bull Barn No 2. In 1912, the Colt Barn was converted from a bull barn, to house colts and the mares in fold This occurred after Barn No. 2 was converted from a cow barn to a horse barn.
Upper hay mow area of the Colt Barn. The large concrete shoots allow hay to be lowered to the first floor for the animals.
This is a view of the Colt Barn today showing the patriot red, white and blue color scheme of the Colt Barn and the Anna Dean Farm barns.
Pump House
Located on western edge of the 35 acre Barber park, the Pump House was almost identical to the Apiary in its construction. This two story building contained the pumping mechanism to move water from the east to the west side of the Anna Dean Farm.
Pheasant Cottage
This is the Pheasant Cottage or Pheasant Managers Home. Like all department heads the Pheasant Manager lived near the fowl he cared for. In this area over 20,000 eggs could be harvested in any year. The Pheasants were of the Mongolian breed. The Pheasant Manager was also in charge of the dog kennels on the West side of the Farm.
Here we see some of the Mongolian Pheasants on the Anna Dean Farm. The male pheasants have the bright colors and nice markings. The hens are a plain brown and are easily camouflaged with their surroundings.
Piggery
This is the western side of the Piggery, or Calf Barn as it was known after 1917. This long majestic building was the first building you would see after you crossed the Robinson bridge and headed up Robinson Ave toward the Anna Dean Farm. At 300 feet long, with its patriotic red, white and blue color scheme, this was surely one of the most pleasant looking of the Anna Dean Farm barns. Upstairs in section three lived the Piggery barn boss and his family in a nice set of rooms that that looked down on the herd in the two wings of the barn. Like all barns on the Anna Dean Farm the Piggery was always kept clean and fresh.
This is the O.C. Barber Piggery as seen from Robinson Ave. This lavish barn, nicknamed the "Pork Palace" was the last major barn completed on the Anna Dean Farm. The Piggery was built in 1912 at a cost exceeding $50,000. Adjusting for inflation from 1912 to the present, this would be like spending over $750,000 in terms of present day dollars. The Piggery was used initially to house the Berkshire swine on the Anna Dean Farm until 1915. In 1915 a case of cholera was detected in the herd of swine and the entire herd had to be destroyed. After this occurred the Piggery was completely scrubbed down with bleach and sheep were moved into the structure. The swine herd was replenished, but they were moved to simple wooden "A" frame structures behind the Robinson Ave. Green houses. The sheep would occupy the Piggery only from 1915 to 1917. O.C. Barber did not like the fact that the sheep pulled the grass out by its roots, thus killing it, when they grazed. This was the same problem that caused friction between cattle ranchers and sheep herders in the Old West. Sheep can destroy the grass lands that they graze on leaving only a dusty area, where the grass once grew. Cattle and other grazing animals only nibble at the top of the grass, thus leaving it alive. Tiring of seeing the Piggery sit in the middle of a growing desert, and having to take the sheep further and further from the Piggery to graze, Mr. Barber sold the entire herd off in 1917. From 1917 until 1920, the Piggery was used to house young calves on the Anna Dean Farm and renamed the Calf Barn. All of the grass surrounding the Piggery had to be replanted after the sheep were sold off.
Here we see some of the Berkshire Swine, or hogs, outside of the Piggery. The top photo shows one of the Berkshire Boars, with the sows milling around the East side of the Piggery in the central photo. The bottom, oval shaped photo shows the Berkshire's milling around south west of the Piggery. After the hogs were slaughtered en masse in 1915, for catching the cholera, Mr. Barber erected wooden "A" frame buildings to individually house the hogs. These new wooden structures were located between the Piggery and Brooder Barn initially, but were later moved to the area between the Robinson Greenhouses and Barn No 1. In the bottom oval photo you see one of these new wooden hog houses located near the middle of the photo. Barn No 1 can be seen to the left, with the towers, and the tall building just to the left of the Chestnut tree is the Barber Hotel.
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The Stock Barn
The bales of hay you see covered in the field behind the Stock Barn are all covered with monogrammed Anna Dean Farm hay blankets. There were hundreds of these monogrammed hay blankets on the Anna Dean Farm.
Here we see a view looking north across the Concrete Bridge on Third Street SE, near the Oak Grove. The wooden barn in the background framed by one of the oaks from the Oak Grove, is the wooden Stock Barn that had belonged to Huston Kepler. This original wooden Kepler Barn was left by Mr. Barber on the Farm and used as a cow barn. The Stock Barn sat on Robinson Ave between the Piggery and the Heating House.
Bull Barn No. 1
This view of Bull Barn No 1, shows the newly finished Concrete Bridge on Third Street SE, and Barn No 1, which is located just to the south of Bull Barn No 1.
Built in the Roman Basilica style of architecture, Bull Barn No 1, was built to house ten bulls. Bull Barn No. 1 was built directly due north of Barn No 1. The first cow barn to be built, Barn No. 1, was built in 1909 to house the dairy herd.
In order to separate the bulls from each other, the bull pen areas outside the north side of Bull Barn No. 1 are separated with concrete posts and rails. These posts and rails are very similar to the concrete fence that bordered the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. However in the fencing for the bull runs, the rails are stacked directly on top of each other. This ads strength to the fence and prohibits the bulls from seeing each other.
Each bull in Bull Barn No 1 had his own interior steel box stall, with individual watering trough and hay mow. Notice that the individual bull pens are separated by a wooden partition. This kept the animals calm, as bulls are very competitive by nature.
Taking one of the Anna Dean Farm bulls out for exercise required special equipment. Here we see one of the Farm workers attaching a steel bull staff to the ring in the bulls nose. In this way one worker could easily control one of the huge bulls.
Mansion Grounds
Here we see the grounds immediately surrounding the Mansion. These are the immediate environs of the Mansion. This is an early aerial view taken from a blimp or hot air balloon.
This view of the Mansion on the East side shows the back porch and all of the heavy plantings around the Mansion.
Moving closer to the rear of the Mansion, which sat on the circular driveway we see the breakfast room, and note the top of the Mansion's elevator shaft with its glass domed ceiling. One of the things that O. C. Barber imported into Barberton from China, was the Ailanthus tree, or Tree of Heaven. This exotic tree was planted around the Mansion and unfortunately quickly spread to much of the Barberton area. You will find these trees with their bad odor growing wild in much of Barberton.
Here we see Mr and Mrs Barber and their three dogs walking around the Mansion. Here they are on the sidewalk running between the Mansion and the Powerhouse. The Mansion is in the background.
The Mansion looking north west from the entry drive at the fork in the road on the circular driveway. The shrubbery surrounding the concrete planter is bayberry.
This is a rare view of the pond in the middle of the circular driveway that separated the Mansion and the Power House. Here we see the fountain running in the middle of the pond on the island of boulders at the center of the pond.
This view of the Power House / Auto Garage is taken from the roof of the Mansion looking east, overlooking the purple Martin birdhouse on the pillar.
This is a close-up of the forty room purple Martin house on top the birdhouse pillar. This birdhouse was approximately six foot high. The top part of this purple Martin house was modeled after Independence Hall in Philadelphia and contained a working clock that chimed out the hour.
This is the view of the walkway from the North side of the Mansion terrace. You notice the Mansion in the distance. This walkway was heavily planted in flowers. On the left you see the thatched summer house.
This is a view of Mr. Barber and the dogs, Laddy Boy, Paddy, and Bob posing on one of the concrete bench near the Wishing Well.
This is a view of the O. C. Barber Wishing Well, or as it was often called, The Old Oaken Bucket. The Wishing Well is on the path leading from the North terrace of the Mansion.
The Wishing Well was one of the premier tourist attractions on the East side of the Anna Dean Farm. Here on a Sunday tourists pose on the Wishing Well.
This is a view of the South west corner the Mansion looking across the front lawn to the double rows of concrete grape arbors. These arbors ran east to west on the Mansion grounds, north west of the Mansion.
The grape arbors looking due east through the South grape arbor with the West side of the Mansion in the background.
A close-up of the grapes on the grape arbors after they have come into full bloom. Here we see O.C. Barber samples the concord grapes. The dogs from left to right were Paddy, Bob, and Laddy Boy.
This is a view looking west at the four rose arbors at the western end of the grounds of the Mansion. In the distance you see the twin towers of Barn No 3.
A close-up of the rose arbors with the profusion of roses on the rose arbors. In this view the roses are just coming into bloom.
This is the formal garden area west of the rose arbors. The arches are wooden rose trellis, and in the distance you see one of the formal flower pots in this area.
Close-up of concrete planter and pedestal with serpents body for handle. This was in the formal garden of the Mansion. This is one of the most unusual planters on the Anna Dean Farm. This planter is very much keeping with the art nouveau style.
Mrs. Barber (left) and Mr. Barber's secretary Alice Bonsteadt posing with Laddy Boy near one of the arched wooden rose trellis that lead into the private kitchen garden on the North end of the Mansion.
Alice Bonsteadt on the Mansion terrace near the concrete balustrade and Mansion planter. This photo was taken on the formal west side of the Mansion, which over looked Barberton.
Mrs. Barber standing and Ohio Columbus Barber sitting pose with Laddy Boy on one of the Mansion's concrete benches on the terrace on the West side of the Mansion.
Apiary
The Anna Dean Farm Apiary, was located directly south of the Power House. This building was devoted to maintaining the bee keeping supplies for over 150 hives. The Anna Dean Farm hives kept the flowers and fruit trees and bushes planted around the Mansion well pollinated. Honey production was over 6000 pounds annually.
One of the smallest buildings built on the Anna Dean Farm, the Apiary was outfitted in the diamond brick pattern used on the Mansion and the buildings built closest to the Mansion.
These are various views of Apiary, from his book, "The Story of an American Farm" the last great project of Ohio C. Barber's life.
Barn No.1
After 1910, the US Government changed the health regulations for the production and handling of milk and this required new barn designs. The new barns were designed to house cows on a washable concrete floor in steel pipe stanchion. Steel ducts, encased in wood lead from the ground floor of the barns on the Anna Dean Farm up to the coupolas on top of the roof. This system provided fresh air for the cows and a series of windows gave light to the stanchion areas. In addition to these Government requirements the cow barns on the Anna Dean Farm also featured windows that opened to allow for cross ventilation. O. C. Barber also installed large electric fans to help circulate air within the cow barns to furthur keep the cattle comfortable.
This is a view of west side of Barn No 1, the first cattle barn, built on the Anna Dean Farm. Completed in 1909, Barn No 1 was quickly dubbed the largest barn in the world by the Akron Beacon Journal.
Here we see the interior stanchion area of Barn No 1. Here the Guernsey cattle stand facing into the middle area of Barn No 1. The cattle are fed by having their food placed on a moving conveyor.
Various views of Barn No 1, taken in 1913. Barn No 1. although it was the first cow barn built on the Anna Dean Farm, it would turn out to be the smallest cow barn built. Barn No 1, is also the only barn constructed with three silos.
Poultry Manager's Home
Here we see the Poultry Manager's Home. Unlike most of the Department Heads on the Anna Dean Farm, the Poultry Manager had his own free standing building and did not live in living quarters in the barn that he managed. Here the Poultry Manager lived with his family, directly to the south of the Brooder Barn and almost across the street from his office.
The Poultry Manager's Home is a simple house, built entirely of concrete block unlike most of the rest of the buildings on the Anna Dean Farm which were made of red brick and white block with red tile roofs. Here the manager and the family of the Poultry Department lived in this well kept home.
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Chicken Yard
This is a view of the Chicken Yard in the Anna Dean Poultry Department. Across Second Street, on the hill, you can see the Brooder Barn. The Poultry Department consisted of the Feed Barn, the Chicken and Duck Yards, the Poultry Manager's Office, and the Poultry Manager's home, all located in close proximity to each other.
Here we see a view of the Chicken Yard with the Poultry Manager's Office, which is the brick and block structure on Second Street. In the distance is the all white block Poultry Manager's Home. Near the bottom of the photo you see the Anna Dean Farm Smoke House, with the red tile roof and next to it is a gardener's shack made out of concrete block.
This is a view looking from the Hotel to the south west. Here we see the Brooder Barn in the distance to the left and the Turkey Barn to the right. Near the bottom of the photo you see the inside of the concrete wall of the Chicken Yard.
The Chicken Yard and Duck Yard were actually the areas between an 1100 foot long wall that ran along Second Street and the Squabbery. The Ducks were kept separated from the Chickens by a wall that connected the Feed Barn and the Poultry Manager's Office. In initially the Chickens were located in the yard north of the Poultry Manager's Office and the ducks were located in the yard south of the Poultry Manager's Office. The brooder hens were kept laying eggs in the Brooder Barn, while the roosters and non laying hens were kept in the Chicken Yard.
Heating House
The Heating House on Robinson Ave is a very unusual building. Built to nestle into the hillside between the Green Houses and Robinson Ave, the Heating House was used to house the two twin Babcock and Wilcox built Stirling Boilers. Here we see the Heating House from across the Green Houses, looking north from Barn No 1.
With the large original towering Chestnut tree in front of the Heating House this building appears small when viewed from Robinson Ave. In actuality the Heating House is three stories tall and is one of the larger out buildings on the Anna Dean Farm.
The east side or main entrance to the Heating House. This building is split into two separate halves. The boiler side (west end of the building) houses the double Stirling Boilers. The east side, shown here, housed a three story area used as offices and storage for the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses.
The Heating House seen from Robinson looking south west. This three story 14,000 square foot building houses both the double Stirling Boilers and the offices for the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses.
The bent tube design of the Stirling Boiler, shown here in a cut away view, was used to provide 300 pounds of steam. The steam from the Heating House's double steam boilers was used to provide steam heat not only to heat the green houses, but also to provide steam to drive the electric dynamo that provided DC power in underground cables to power the barns and outbuildings on the western side of the Anna Dean Farm.
Stoking the double Stirlings. In order to maintain steam to the dynamo to provide electric power, one side of the Stirling boiler had to be run at all times, even during the summer. This double, bent tube, boiler arrangement was first patented by Alan Stirling in 1891. The Stirling Company, with O. C. Barber as president, soon moved to the new town of Barberton in 1892. In 1906 The Stirling Company merged with Babcock and Wilcox of New York.
Main Office
These are interior view of the Anna Dean Farm office. To quote Mr. Barber, "for with characteristic genius for handling with equal skill minute specific details and huge general problems, Mr. Barber keeps his fingers upon the keys that operate the smallest as well as the largest of its activities"
Here are two views of the Farm Office taken from the Anna Dean Farm book. The Office as it was called connected directly to the Mansion by telephone, so that Mr. Barber could keep track of all of the Farm's production and activities.
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Office. This building was located on the corner of Robinson Ave and the Belt Line Railroad. This is the North west corner of the building. Here all of the business of the Farm was conducted. The back of this building where you see the chimney is where the concrete rails for the concrete fence were cast.
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Anna Dean Farm Concrete Bridge
This view taken from the Concrete Bridge looks across the large pond running underneath the Bridge. Here to the right we see the Turkey Barn with the Brooder Barn being in the middle of the photo. The large building to the left of the photo is the Barber Hotel, and the small building directly to the right of the Hotel is the Wheel Room. The purpose of the Wheel Room was to manage the large sluice gate that would empty the large pond, when the basement of the slaughter shop needed to be cleaned out, with water.
This photo of the Concrete Bridge on the Anna Dean Farm was taken in 1910, prior to the construction of the Heating House. The Greenhouse Managers Home can be seen with the tall chimney to the left of the picture.
This is a view of the Anna Dean Farm Concrete Bridge on Third Street, just north of Barn No 1. Beneath and in front of the Concrete Bridge was the largest of the ponds on the Anna Dean Farm.
Here we see Spotswood Daisy Pearl posing in front of the Concrete Bridge, with Barn No 1, in the background. This 160' long bridge was the same length as the Anna Dean Farm Dam.
Sunday was tourist day on the Anna Dean Farm. Each Sunday the Anna Dean Farm was thrown open for free tours. One of the great photo spots on the Farm was underneath the arch of the Concrete Bridge. Here we see a man and two women posing under the arch of the bridge. This photo also demonstrates just how high the Concrete Bridge actually was.
In this photo we see the newly completed Concrete Bridge and to the left of the photo we see Bull Barn No 1 and the tower barn is Barn No 1, the first cow barn on the Anna Dean Farm. Notice the large oak to the right of the photo. The area directly south of and abutting the large pond was the Oak Grove. The Oak Grove, with its benches and bird house pillar was the picnic grove on the Anna Dean Farm. Here each Sunday happy picnickers would stop and enjoy a respite by the Concrete Bridge and large pond.
Anna Dean Farm Flour Mill
This building standing on the extreme west side of the Farm was directly due east of the Akron, Barberton Belt Rail Road tracks. Here we see the fleet of trucks and cars from the Anna Dean Farm posing in front of the Mill.
The Mill showing all of the Anna Dean Farm products sold through the Mill.PHEASANTS, SQUABS, POULTRY, DUCKS, GUERNSEY CATTLE, SANITARY MILK, BUTTER, AND EGGS, FRESH FRUIT, AND FANCY HAMS AND BACONS, MILL FEEDS AND MALTED CEREAL.
Here we see a composite photo of the Mill and several of the belt driven Anna Dean Farm Flour Mill grinding machines.
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Green House Complex
Here we see some photos of the interior of the green houses. The top two photos shows clusters of grapes in one of the green houses on Robinson Ave. In the next photo taken from Robinson Ave, you see the Barber Conservatory on the left, the Green House Managers Home in the middle and the Heating House on the far extreme right. The bottom photo shows the Green House managers home and some of the first green houses built behind it.
This is a view of the Green house complex on Robinson Ave. The Green houses built on Robinson Ave, by Ohio C. Barber were used to grow flowers and fruits. The white house pictured on the left hand side of the photo is the Samuel Keppler house. This house was on the property when Mr. Barber acquired it in 1905 and was left standing. It served as a home for one of the family men, working on the Anna Dean Farm. Next to the Keppler house, you see the largest of the green house buildings. This is the Heating House and was used to house the twin Stirling boilers that heated the green houses. Directly due east of the Heating House you can see the Green House Managers Home. This is where the manager of the green houses lived with his family. Finally you see the 5 acres of green houses stretching out on the property.
This is a view of the Rose house in the greenhouse complex with the roses in bloom.
Here we see the Heating House on the right, the Green house managers home in the center and the Conservatory on the far left. In front of the Heating House we see a large Chestnut tree that was growing on the Samuel Keppler property when O.C. Barber acquired it. Always respectful of big beautiful trees O.C. Barber actually left this tree stand in front of the Heating House without disturbing it, actually building the Heating House behind it. For the most part the barns and out buildings on the Anna Dean Farm, have no trees growing near them. Only the Mansion and grounds were landscaped. Mr. Barber believed that you should be able to look between the barns and outbuildings without many visual obstructions.
This is a view of the Orchard house with the orchids in full bloom
Machine Barn
This is a view of the Machine Barn, or Implement House on the Anna Dean Farm. This building housed the black smith shop as well as the service and storage area for the Anna Dean Farm tractors and equipment.
Another view of the Machine Barn which sits directly due north of Barn No 2. In the background you see the towers of Barn No 2, peaking over the top of the Machine Barn.
After 1910, the US Government changed the health regulations for the production and handling of milk and this required new barn designs. The new barns were designed to house cows on a washable concrete floor in steel pipe stanchion. Steel ducts, encased in wood lead from the ground floor of the barns on the Anna Dean Farm up to the coupol as on top of the roof. This system provided fresh air for the cows and a series of windows gave light to the stanchion areas. In addition to these Government requirements the cow barns on the Anna Dean Farm also featured windows that opened to allow for cross ve ntilation. O. C. Barber also installed large electric fans to help circulate air within the cow barns to furthur keep the cattle comfortable.
Barn No. 3
Spotswood Daisy Pearl, the second greatest cow on the Anna Dean Farm and the queen of Barn No 3.
This is a postcard view of Barn No. 3. Although not really quite 800 feet long, with its actual length being 751 feet.
Another full page photo from the Star Line equipment catalog shows the interior of Barn No 3, just after construction was completed in 1912. At this point of time the interior of the Barn No 3 is pristine, as no cows have yet been moved into the building. Barn No 3 had 150 individual pens for the cattle.
Anna Dean Farm workers pose outside of the dormitory entrance to Barn No 3 in 1913.
Built in 1912 as one of the last barns on the Anna Dean Farm, Barn No 3, was simply put, a cow palace. Heated to protect the cattle in the winter and cooled by electric fans in the summer, Barn No 3 was the largest, most opulent barn in the world. In 1912 Barn No 3, alone, cost Ohio C. Barber over $1,000,000 to construct. However in 1912 a US d ollar had 15 times the buying power it does in the 21st century. In terms of our money imagine a barn costing $15,000,000 to build and you should be able to understand the size and scope of this magnificent building. Each wing of Barn No. 3 was longer than entire length of Barn No 1, the Piggery or the Brooder Barn. In late 1912, Ohio C. Barber wrote a letter to his daughter Anna in Chicago to describe Barn No. 3, and simply said, "You should see the new barn, its a Dusey!"
Barn No 3 as seen near Portsmouth Ave, looking at the West side. The large area between the silos on the West side of the barn is the dormitory for single men working on the Anna Dean Farm. Barn No 3's dormitory and the Hotel housed most of the single men on the Farm. Notice that the recently harvested hay is covered with blankets to keep it fresh. These hay blankets were each individually monogrammed ANNA DEAN FARM.
It was nearly impossible to get a photograph of Barn No 3 due to its extreme length. Here we are looking west on Anna Dean Lane just west of the Mansion service drive at Barn No 3. Notice that Anna Dean Lane is lined with elm trees, which Mr. Barber has had transplanted.
One of the great attributes to any of the Anna Dean Farm barns was their cleanliness. Here again we see the interior of Barn No. 3 and the immaculate condition in which it was kept on the inside.
Barn No 3, as viewed from Snyder Ave looking north east. Notice the concrete post and steel picket fence than ran around the western side of the Anna Dean Farm. Also please note the center area on the west side of Barn No 3. This area comprised of a three story dormitory area for single men working on the Anna Dean Farm.
O. C. Barber used Star Line Equipment on the Anna Dean Farm exclusively. This photo of Barn No 3 taken looking north west shows this mammoth barn just after construction. This photo was the pride of the Star Line Equipment catalog, and this catalog lists the barn as costing over $1,000,000.
An aerial view looking down on Barn No 3. This magnificent building was built at a cost of over $1,000,000 in 1912.
The second floor hay mow, standing in the center of Barn No 3 and looking south toward one end of the building.
Farm Manager's House (South Gate House)
This building at the intersection of Anna Dean Lane and Ohio 619 (Fifth Street) is the entrance most used by the public to the east side of the Anna Dean Farm. The building served as a dual purpose, being both the south gate house and the Anna Dean Farm Managers Home. Again, just as at the north gate house, the gate posts are clearly marked ANNA and DEAN to reflect the names of Mr. Barber's daughter Anna Laura and her husband Arthur Dean Bevan.
This view of the Farm Managers home was taken on a Saturday. Notice the wagons of silage with the Farm Managers Home or south gate house in the background. The long straight driveway (Anna Dean Lane) led through this second set of Farm gates and up to the Mansion, which is situated to the north of the roadway. Anna Dean Lane proceeded east beyond the Mansion passing between the Colt Barn and Barn No 2.
This photo was taken the very next day is Sunday. Notice that all of the silage has not been put away from the wagon. Also please notice the Mansion near the upper left of the photo and the tourists and Model T's lining both Fifth Street and Anna Dean Lane. On Sundays, the Anna Dean Farm was open for public tours. The people would flock to the Farm to picnic and visit the Mansion and various barns and outbuildings. We feel that tourism of the existing buildings on the Anna Dean Farm can again become a weekly reality, and an economic stimulus for Barberton.
Barn No. 2
Originally constructed in 1910 for cattle, Barn No 2 was converted to a horse Barn in 1912. Here we see some of the team horses on the Anna Dean Farm who resided at Barn No 2.
Here we see the courtyard of Barn No 2 used to host a real estate company picnic on the Anna Dean Farm. Again tourism was a big part of the Anna Dean Farm at the beginning of the 20th Century and we feel that it can again play a part in Barberton's development in the 21st Century.
This postcard view of taken from behind the Power House is of Barn No 2. This is the large towered building on the right. On the left of the photo we see the Machine Barn or Implement House on the Anna Dean Farm.
This is a view of Jupiter Chief in the court yard of Barn No 2. Jupiter Chief was the prize Belgian stallion on the Anna Dean Farm. This breed of horse, a slightly smaller cousin of the Clydesdale, weighted in at 2000 pounds. Jupiter Chief was known for his thick mane and shining dappled chestnut coat.
Perhaps the prettiest of the Anna Dean Farm barns is Barn No 2. This large U shaped cattle barn faces Anna Dean Lane in a 1912 postcard view.
The Creamery
The inside of the Creamery showing some of the milk processing equipment. Here they processed in a sanitary manner up to 10,000 pounds of milk per day.
This is a view of the O. C. Barber Creamery, built in 1909, at the same time Barn No 1 was constructed. The Creamery is located directly due east of Barn No 1 and it was here that all of the milk was bottled and the Anna Dean Farm ice cream was made.
Here we see one of the milk wagons on the Anna Dean Farm. These wagons began their journey in the early morning from the Creamery and peddled their milk around Barberton. Notice the sign on the back of the wagon is a drawing of Barn No 2 and a large version of an Anna Dean Farm milk bottle.
Here we see the West side of the busy Anna Dean Farm Creamery. The rear of this building was used to bottle the milk and make ice cream on the Farm. Notice near the center of this photo you see a set of steps that rise up the loading dock area in the Creamery. Near the side door for the apartment we see a Model T. Ford, one of the pieces of modern equipment used to move about the massive 3500 acre Farm.
Close up of the sign on the the Anna Dean Farm Milk Wagons.
North Gate House
This building, the north or main, gatehouse at Fifth and Robinson Ave was the main entrance to the Mansion area, and O. C. Barber's Anna Dean Farm. Mr. Barber had named his 3500 acre estate after his only daughter, Anna Laura, and her husband, Arthur Dean Bevan, hence the name Anna Dean on the gate posts.
This is a view seldom seen by the general public. We have entered the Anna Dean Farm gates to the left of the photo and we are looking across one of the flower beds at the north east corner of the north or main gatehouse.
Here we have a view of the Main Gate House, with its surrounding wall. The Main Gate House, or Lodge House as it is sometimes called sits prominently at the corner of Fifth and Robinson Ave.
This postcard view shows the beauty of the main gate house. The gates swung open on to the well landscaped 40 acre Barber Park. The driveway between the gates, gently curved up through the woods leading to the O. C. Barber Mansion. Only Mr. Barber, and his friends were allowed to drive through this entrance up to the Mansion.
Duck Yard
Originally located on the Anna Dean Farm near the chicken yard, the Duck Department was later relocated to Copley, Ohio due to complaints about the ducks’ early-morning quacking. The Duck Department was part of O.C. Barber’s expansive 5,000-acre Anna Dean Farms and was situated on one of the estate’s outlying properties.The location was personally selected by Mr. Barber, as its unique natural conditions could not be replicated elsewhere on the estate. The site featured rolling woodland, open fields, a winding stream, and a broad, tree-lined lagoon, an ideal environment for duck farming. The Duck Farm’s facilities included a two-story concrete building with a cellar nearly 100 square feet, designed as an incubation center capable of hatching thousands of eggs. The main floor housed a rat-tight, moisture-proof storage room. Two brooder houses were also on site, with pens equipped with hot-water–heated hovers and connected to individual outdoor runs. Additional housing for breeding stock was located near the lagoon, while nearby fields were cultivated with oats and rye to provide feed for the ducks. The farm was fully equipped with facilities for killing, picking, packing, and cold storage. It was home to thousands of White Pekin ducks, and according to Barber’s own account, the facility was designed to accommodate up to 100,000 ducks. In practice, the farm raised as many as 50,000 ducks per year.