Corn Crib

Point marker 5A corn crib is a type of granary used for holding and drying ears of corn. The corn would have been fed to livestock or milled into cornmeal. After harvesting, corncobs with or without husks were placed in the corn crib through the small, elevated door on the west wall.

Air circulated through the slatted walls to keep the corn dry. Because the slats would also expose the corn to pests, corn cribs were elevated above the ground with tight flooring to deter rodents. Corn crib slats were typically horizontal, though this corn crib has vertical slats.

Corn was an important crop for farms, and all parts of the corn were used. Both people and animals consumed the kernels. The leaves were used as fodder for livestock, and husks were used for brooms, mattress stuffing and seat cushions. Cobs were used for fuel. The tassel (or corn silk) was used to brew a healing tea that treated bladder problems and was also an anti-inflammatory.

Corn cribs were first used by Native Americans and were quickly adopted by European settlers. Struggling European settlers often raided corn cribs for food. As a result, some Native American groups abandoned the corn crib and buried food in caches.

This corn crib once sat further east, situated alongside the old dairy barn. It was moved in preparation for the Gudelsky Environmental Education Center construction in 2005 and is now on new concrete piers.

Your next steps:

Continue along the sidewalk to find the carriage house in just a few steps.

Map of path to carriage house
Carriage house exterior