John Messer Barn

The John Messer Barn is a single-story structure with a hayloft and gabled roof that extends over the sides for weather protection. The interior has two sections divided into stalls with a central passage for vehicles to enter.

The structure was built in 1875 by Pinkney Whaley and later passed to John H. Messer as its owner. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.

The structure shows how farming families in this region organized their work and storage, reflecting the everyday building methods that suited the mountain landscape.

The barn sits along the Porters Creek Trail in the Greenbrier valley and is accessible via this hiking route. Visitors can view the exterior while walking through the area.

This double-cantilever building is the final remaining structure from the pre-park Greenbrier Cove community within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It stands as a rare trace of a vanished settlement.

Location: Sevier County

Inception: 1875

GPS coordinates: 35.68700,-83.39859

Latest update: December 13, 2025 11:42