O’Bannon State Park Hay Press Barn
Originally, this hay press barn adorned a piece of land in Crawford County near the pre- Civil War construction was 1859-1860. It is now located in Harrison County and is referred to as the Leavenworth-Lang-Cole hay press barn. The name reflects earlier ownership.
In 2000, the barn was donated to the Department of Natural Resources and moved to O'Bannon Woods State Park.
The hay press is a large mechanism weighing nearly 9,500 pounds. It extends from the dirt floor of the lower level into the peak area and is an integral part of the barn.
Oxen turn the hay press, pulling up a heavy weight. While the oxen moved the weight up within the press, hay was added through a door midway up the side of the press. When the weight reached a specific point, a release was tripped and the weight dropped down, pressing the hay into a large bale. This action was repeated until a bale was nearly 400 pounds. The bales were transported to market on the nearby rivers.
The restored barn and hay press is open at the O'Bannon State Park and demonstrations are planned throughout the year. A schedule of demonstrations can be accessed through the Internet.
A late day oil painting was scheduled to capture the late afternoon light on the rich patina of the barn's front and gable end. Variations in the rich brown hues in the light and also in the shadow shapes were exciting to mix and place onto the canvas. It was June 2014 and the canvas size is 18 x 24 inches.
All the barn paintings are for sale. Please contact Gwen to find out if the painting(s) you are interested in are sold or available.
