The Buildings of O.C. Barber

The buildings of O.C. Barber that still stand today serve as a reminder of Barberton’s rich history and remain an attraction for visitors and members of our community alike.

History of the Private Estate of O.C. Barber

To the south of the East Barberton allotment, Barberton’s founder O.C. Barber purchased a portion of the Huston Kepler farm. The 200-acre tract was the beginning of his famed Anna Dean Farm, an enterprise that would eventually encompass some 3,500 acres to the southeast of Barberton.

In about 1905, Barber retired from active participation in the Diamond Match Company and spent his retirement years in Barberton developing his experimental farm. His intent was to show that large-scale farming could be successfully conducted in much the same manner as a manufacturing concern.

The magnificent Anna Dean farm buildings included a total of 23 brick buildings with red tile roofs and concrete trim, all built in the French Renaissance Revival architectural style. Of these, only a few remain today: Barn No. 1, the Piggery, the Colt Barn, Brooder Barn, Poultry Office, and Heating House. His greenhouses, not gone, covered 12 acres. In 1911, just as the town he founded became a city, Barber was completing his palatial mansion on his property, where he would live the remainder of his life.

Visit Historic Places in Barberton

Barn No. 1

Built in 1909, Barn No. 1 was quickly dubbed the largest barn in the world. Located at 115 3rd St SE, this historic barn is on the National Register of Historic Places.

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O. C. Barber Piggery

Built in 1912, the O. C. Barber Piggery – nicknamed the “Pork Palace” – is a historic farm building located at 248 Robinson Avenue on the Anna-Dean Farm.

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Colt Barn

Built in 1910 on the south side of Anna Dean Lane the Colt Barn was originally used to house bulls and named Bull Barn No 2. In 1912, the barn was converted to house colts and mares.

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Heating House

The 14,000 square foot, three-story Heating House on Robinson Ave was used to house both the double Stirling Boilers and the offices for the Anna Dean Farm Green Houses.

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