The Most Photographed Barn In Utah Has A Charming History
By Catherine Armstrong|Published May 16, 2019
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
As Utah’s population continues to grow, many of our fields, farms, and barns make way for subdivisions and strip malls. Luckily, we still have some beautiful rural places where the march of progress is stalled. One such place is the McPolin Barn in Park City. It’s an icon of rural Utah, and is likely the most photographed barn in the Beehive State.
If you've ever traveled to Park City along Utah State Route 224, you've most certainly noticed the big white barn with the American flag hanging on its front. This is the McPolin Barn, and it's definitely picture-perfect.
Address: 3000 UT-224, Park City, UT, 84060
To reach the farm, take the Kimball Junction exit off I-80, then travel along SR 224. The barn is just a few miles down the road on your right.
The history of the McPollin Farm goes all the way back to 1886, when the McLane family homesteaded here. The family sold the farm to the McPolin family in 1900, and the iconic barn was constructed in 1922.
The McPolins operated a dairy farm, and when they sold it to D. A. Osguthorpe in 1948, he expanded the herd and continued the tradition of dairy farming on this land.
The barn was built without using any nails. Instead, timbers were fitted tightly together to create a structurally-sound building that still stands nearly 100 years later. Windows have been added to the barn so that the public can take a peek inside.
The McPolin farmhouse was much smaller than the barn, but every bit as charming. The home that stands here today is a replica of the original, which burned down in the late 1940s.
Citizens of Park City purchased the farm in 1990 to protect this historic gem. Over the course of nearly two decades, the Friends of the Farm have donated countless volunteer hours, stabilizing and restoring buildings, installing informational markers, purchasing farm vintage farm equipment for display, and more.
The Friends of the Farm have created a free walking tour app that's available at the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Download it on your mobile device before your visit to get the most out of your trip.
Barn and farmhouse tours are scheduled for July 12, August 9, and September 13, 2019 at 4 pm. and 5:30 p.m. The farm also hosts its annual Y.B.D.I.O (Your Barn Door Is Open) festival on June 29, 2019, and the popular Scarecrow Festival on September 28, 2019. Click here for more details about the events at the farm.
Do you have photos of the McPolin Barn? We’d love to see them in the comments, or you can join our Utah Nature Lovers Group on Facebook and share them there, along with any other photos of Utah’s beautiful places.
