The Joslyn Round Barn was built by Clem Joslyn in 1910. It was used as a dairy barn from 1910 until 1969, when Marge Joslin said to Ralph Joslin, "either the cows go or I go." Jack and Doreen Simko bought the Round Barn Farm in March of 1986. They spent 18 months restoring the farmhouse into a seven guestroom Inn (see before and after photos to right), then turned their attention to the Round Barn. The Barn restoration was started in June of 1988 and completed in June of 1990. During the restoration the barn was jacked up and a new concrete foundation was poured to replace the original stone foundation which had crumbled. A new insulated roof was added and the cedar shakes were replaced.

The existing clapboards were repainted and all existing timbers that were not rotted were retained. In 1992 four more guest rooms were added to the Inn in the horsebarn area of the extended farmhouse, thus completing the entire structural restoration, and in 1999 a new suite was added.
Unlike the early 1900's when it was a working dairy barn, the structure now hosts many community events. Weddings, concerts, art exhibits, and conferences are all held inside the twelve circular walls of the Barn. The ground floor houses our lap pool and greenhouse, and is also used for general storage.

During your stay, please feel free to take a step back in time, and explore the unusual splendor of the Joslyn Round Barn.

Why Round Barns?

The concept of the Round Barn originated with the religious group The Shakers. Some say The Shakers built their barns this way because "the devil can't catch you in the corners." For the farmer though, Round Barns were very efficient because they use the laws of gravity. Large farm equipment was driven up the raceway into the top level for storage and driven right out. There was no backing out of the corner in a Round Barn.

The middle level was home to many dairy cows, once again herded out of the barn in a circle. There were trap doors in the floor of the stanchion level to shovel the manure directly into the trucks waiting in the bottom level to haul it out into the fields. There were a total of 25 Round Barns built in Vermont, four of which were in the Mad River Valley. There are only five Round Barns remaining in the state today.