Barns and Farms
Historic barns and farms of the area.
Catherine Baker Truman's memories of this picture perfect farm tucked away way back in the foothills due west of Clayton, Washington, include the barn in the picture to the lower left. It was evidently built by a Scandinavian. On the inside wall next to the door is written a name (which her father thought was Scandinavian) and the date 1895. The logs were skillfully hewn and fitted together without nails. The two sections have a different style of notching and may have been done by different people at different times. The construction is a work of art. The house was not attached to the barn. There is a possibility that someone had lived in the far right section while a house was being built. Catherine's father used one room as a tool shed and the other for storage. Catherine's parents were Dave and Ella Hathaway Baker. Ella came from Loon Lake and Dave's family from Williams Valley. Two of Catherine's siblings are Carol Baker Betz and Wendle Baker. There are also several others. Catherine and Cliff Truman are now residing in Florida after a lifetime as missionaries in South America.
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Catherine Baker Truman's memories of this picture perfect farm tucked away way back in the foothills due west of Clayton, Washington, include the barn in the picture to the lower left. It was evidently built by a Scandinavian. On the inside wall next to the door is written a name (which her father thought was Scandinavian) and the date 1895. The logs were skillfully hewn and fitted together without nails. The two sections have a different style of notching and may have been done by different people at different times. The construction is a work of art. The house was not attached to the barn. There is a possibility that someone had lived in the far right section while a house was being built. Catherine's father used one room as a tool shed and the other for storage. Catherine's parents were Dave and Ella Hathaway Baker. Ella came from Loon Lake and Dave's family from Williams Valley. Two of Catherine's siblings are Carol Baker Betz and Wendle Baker. There are also several others. Catherine and Cliff Truman are now residing in Florida after a lifetime as missionaries in South America.
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This barn is located on Randy and Taffy Long's property today. Three related pictures can be seen on Clayton Page 5. Catherine Baker Truman writes, "My parents, Mr. and Mrs. David Baker, purchased this 80 acres of good land and forest in late 1931 or early 1932. The original house had burned down and the original owners had moved out. My parents paid the taxes of about $750 and took possession of the property." Her parents then converted a two room chicken house into a home and lived there until Catherine started first grade.
From the Nord's property turn180 degrees south to see this barn. It was built by Mr. Walt King, a Spokane County Deputy Sheriff. This barn was built in 1945 or 1946 and my Father, Royal Clouse, hired on and helped build it. I heard some time later that Dad was not all that thrilled doing a high wire act in this tall barn.
Homer Young's barn taken from the yard of Dick and Rita Casberg. This barn is located along the Williams Valley Road west. Homer was possibly the finest gentleman you would ever meet. Mr. Young didn't settle in Clayton until the mid 1940s. Dick Casberg's family arrived in 1888 and may set the record for longevity for one family living continuously in the Clayton area.
Mike and Roberta Reiter's farm and the old tractor in their front yard.
This Garden Spot Grange building is the replacement of the original where the lumber was used to build the Zibell barn above right. If you listen closely you might hear the strains of "Good Night Ladies" played by Fred Swanbeck's fiddle and his best of the best band.
The Al Carlson farm near Four Corners at Loon Lake, Washington.
This barn stands at the intersection of Price Road and the "Farm to Market Road" (now Williams Valley Road) near the old Clouse farm. This barn was built by Norm and Mildred Warren in the early 1940's.
The Bill Carpenter barn in1908. (This from Fred Schonfeld's picture album, thanks to Bob Renner). This barn was located on Price Road in Bigfoot Valley.
This little "barn" was built by the Micheals family in 1926 as a chicken coup according to Duane Costa. Now owned by Alan and Sharon (Jarrett) Olson. It's located on the east side of Clayton and visable from the main street known as Railroad Avenue.
This timeless old relic stands along US Highway 395 directly west of downtown Deer Park on Monroe Rd.
A very strange but a true story. I had not set foot on our old Clayton, Washington, farm (known as the Berger farm) since not long after graduating from high school in 1949. One fall day in 2003 I stopped by the old place and introduced myself to Mr. Lenny Kerbs the present owner from San Diego, California. His uncle, Sam Kerbs was about to start dismantling a section of the old barn. In 1949, during the toughest winter on record, our barn had collapsed under the weight of several feet of snow. We rebuilt the hay barn and then built a leanto on to the milking parlor. And would you know, that milking parlor was the section Uncle Sam was tearing down.
Bear with me while we're still in North Dakota. We stopped at the farm of our nearest neighbors, the Gabors. Unanounced and holding our breath, Don knocked on the door. A lady answered and Don said, "Hi Gladys, I'm Don Clouse." She fairly beamed. She is left alone with her daughter Clara. Now even this barn is gone but we took this photo of one of the neatest barns ever. We saw Gladys again in 2005. Still beaming.
Alvin Johnson's barn not far from Clayton.
The Harry Gettman farm is located a mile south of Loon Lake, Washington on US Highway 395. This picture was taken in the magical winter wonderland of 1949. As severe as the winter was that year, it was a photographers delight. Thanks to Shirl ey Gettman
Louie Johnson built the farm and this barn from scratch. Violet Zimmerer now owns it and has planted love here and she and her farm greet every sunrise together.
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This is the original barn on Warren and Rainy Nord's farm formerly owned by Warren's parents, Clarence and Wilda Nord.
Not more than 50 yards away stands probably the most famous of the Clayton area hay barns. This building was for years the Clayton Grange Hall moved from its original location less than a mile up the creek. It now has a cow shed lean-to. The original stairs lead to the upper floor where some of the best food (lutefisk and Swedish meatballs!) was served in the dining hall. Lunches were served at breaktime during the Saturday night Grange dances.
This barn is on the farm that Herman Zibell, Jr. (now over 76 years old) was born on two miles northeast of Deer Park, Washington. Herman's 3 older sisters are still living, the oldest is 90 years old. Their grandfather Zibell acquired the farm in the 1920s. Herman and Elvina (Donner) Zibell Sr. then operated the farm. The barn was built out of the lumber from the original Garden Spot Grange when it was dismantled in preparation for building the one now standing.
The old Berger farm in 1960 located two and a half miles southwest of Clayton.
The R.M. Clouse family moved onto the Berger farm in the fall of 1944. That is my little brother Larry sitting in the middle of the barn yard. Note the house in the upper left that is shown many years later in the picture above this one.
An Idaho Pioneer built this on the banks 0f the Pend Oreille River and it still stands today under the guardianship of Randy and Ann Allen.
Heading south of Deer Park on Monroe Road towards Wild Rose Prairie there are many farms in all directions.
This old barn sits just off the Monroe Road a couple miles south of Deer Park, Washington.
An Anni Sebright painting of the Sebright barn in about 1978.
This barn is a bit out of our eastern Washington territory on the wind blown plains near the Rock Lake, North Dakota. An exciting day occured as a new barn was moved onto the Royal M. Clouse farm. Our landlord thought we needed a new barn and there it was being towed into place. My big Brother Don was more excited about riding the Cat. We cut our teeth playing in the hay mow as the years rolled by. We parted ways in 1941 by moving to Spokane and subsequently to Clayton. In 1992 we finally revisited our birthplace.
51 years after my family left North Dakota my brother Don, Aunt Ila, Cousin Evelyn, myself and our spouses returned. There the barn was, still standing strong against the winds and driving blizzards of winter. My heart was pounding and my mind was racing as I took this picture of my wife Mary in the haymow of the "OLD BARN".
A friend also from Hansboro N.D. took us by the hand, with his Grandson Paige escorted us to the old Homestead of his long ago departed Grandparents. There stood this galant old barn built in the late 1800s. Paige and I ventured inside for mere moments and retreated. One is never sure when the inevitable will occure. There is an attraction to old barns that will always remain a mystery.
A true homesteaders barn, built with seasoned logs and constructed with meticulous workmanship as only a Scandanavian can. But it too fell to time, neglect and gravity.
A closeup of the construction of the Coffin barn with Peter Coffin enjoying grandpa's farm.
Even though this is not a barn, we will end this page on a special note. This was Violet and Elmers Zimmerer's first house and even though they only spent 2 1/2 years together before he passed away. Now as you peer in the door it appears empty. But that is not true, it is full of precious memories. May God bless you and your family Violet! CDPHS.
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