Young Round Barn
Why it's listed
Three miles south of Greene, beside Route 12 in Chenango County, a round dairy barn about 80 feet across was built between 1914 and 1916. DeVern Bates designed and built it for James Clifford Young after an earlier barn on the site burned. Bates had worked as a builder at the Tarbell Farm in nearby Smithville, where he may have encountered published barn designs. The barn has two stories, a double-hipped gambrel roof, a cupola, and walls sheathed in pressed iron that imitates brick. Inside, 47 stanchions circle a central silo, and two hay tracks hang from the roof rafters. A large entrance bay lets farm machinery reach the upper level. Its design resembles Wisconsin and Illinois barn plans published between 1890 and 1910. It is considered one of the best examples of a fully developed round barn with a central silo in New York State. The barn remains an active dairy barn in good condition, with silos added in the 1970s.
Significance in brief: The barn is described as one of the best examples in New York State of a fully developed round barn with a central silo. It has a center silo with silage chute, radial stanchion layout, stud wall system, a large entrance bay for farm machinery, and two circular hay fork tracks. Its pressed iron sheathing, splayed lintels, double-hipped roof and cupola, and round milk house also make it distinctive.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 84002072, listed September 29, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NY 12, Greene |
|---|---|
| County | Chenango County |
| Listed | September 29, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002072 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | DeVern Bates, designer and builder |
| Architectural style | Central plan (round) dairy barn |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as an active dairy barn and in good condition; silos and a shed addition were added to the north in 1974-75. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.29433, -75.80728 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 84002072.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q8058397
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.