Pole Frame Buildings

Pole Frame Building Historic Landmark Of Agricultural Engineering - In the mid 1940's, "B G" Perkins of Doane Agricultural Service introduced a new pole-frame construction along the Missouri-Illinois border. This idea revolutionized the way barns were built. With pole-frame construction, Perkins cut building costs in half by: Using pressure-treated poles for structural support eliminating concrete foundations; Overlapping standard-length lumber, reducing cutting and adding strength; Using larger and fewer rafters and roof supports on edge spanning greater distances; Building single-story barns with no loft and open on south reducing ventilation problems. B. G. Perkins' pole-frame barns gave birth to the pole-frame construction industry which builds most farm buildings and many commercial and industrial buildings.