Historic prairie barn in excellent condition

By Joan Janzen

A 108-year-old barn near Zealandia, Sask., stands tall and proud. An interested citizen took a photo of the barn and submitted it to the Historic Saskatchewan Facebook page. After seeing the photo, more people shared information about the history of the barn.

This barn near Zealandia was constructed in 1917 and remains in incredible condition. PHOTO: HISTORIC SASKATCHEWAN

Jim Robertson noted his great-uncle and aunt, Edward and Margaret Robertson, were the second owners of the barn, followed by Lloyd and Marge Robertson. Robertson was told the original owner, A. Swetman, spent $15,000 to build the barn in 1917, but went bankrupt shortly afterward. A crew from Edmonton did the construction, including features that set the barn apart.

The barn has a finished ceiling, with the main floor having sufficient ceiling height so riders didn’t need to dismount before entering. The loft has a floor constructed of oak planks and is accessed by a stairway. Aisles are located on the outside as well as in the centre, and an enclosed tack room is on the main floor.

Contributor Lawrence Paschke visited the barn several years ago and marvelled at its incredible condition. Most of the barn is constructed out of oak, and the thirty stalls have the horses’ names engraved on brass plaques. The two structures seen on top of the building are called cupolas. Air vents extend up into the hayloft and into these cupolas, where the ammonia gas was eliminated. Later, a metal roof was put in place by Robbie Robertson to help protect the building.