Historic barns are iconic and artistic representations of Indiana’s agricultural heritage, but as changing farming practices leave many barns without use or incentive for maintenance, they are disappearing at an alarming rate. In Shelby County, the 12-sided Rudicel-Montgomery Polygonal Barn is a particularly rare survivor.
Interest in building octagonal barns spread in the late nineteenth century, boosted by arguments that they were sturdier and more cost-effective to build than rectangular barns and that their layout was more efficient for feeding livestock. The interest spread to more multi-sided forms, and between 1850 and 1936, 67 polygonal barns were built in Indiana, though round barns eventually outpaced them in popularity. In 1910, George Rudicel worked with local carpenters Roy and Earl Henderson to build his polygonal barn, using the lower level to house livestock and the upper level to store hay and straw.
A 1990s survey of the state’s round and polygonal barns for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places found that only 10 of 18 known 12-sided barns still stood, including the Rudicel-Montgomery Barn. In 2024 the barn is mostly vacant, in need of cost-prohibitive repairs. Indiana Landmarks and its affiliate Indiana Barn Foundation funded a study to assess its condition and rehabilitation needs, aiming to help provide direction for future fundraising efforts. As the number of historic barns in Indiana shrinks, the Rudicel-Montgomery Polygonal Barn’s unusual design and heritage make it a rural landmark worth saving.
Mark Dollase
Vice President of Preservation Services
Indiana Landmarks
317-639-4534
mdollase@indianalandmarks.org
Rachael Ackley
Executive Director
Shelby County Tourism & Visitors Bureau
317-398-9623
rachael@visitshelbycounty.com
