Pete French Round Barn, Heritage site in Harney County, United States.
The Pete French Round Barn is a circular structure whose interior is enclosed by a wall of local rock and mud, with the rest built from lumber hauled 60 miles from the north. Juniper posts support the interior. A central stable area sits inside the rock wall, and a covered circular track around it was used to exercise horses in winter.
The round barn was built in the late 1870s or early 1880s for cattle rancher Peter French, who used it to break horses through the winter. Two or possibly three such barns once stood in the area; this is the only one left. The Jenkins family donated the site to the state of Oregon in 1969, and it was listed on the National Register on September 10, 1971.
The barn's name comes from cattleman Peter French, who wintered and broke horses here; 300 to 1,000 horses passed through each year. The Jenkins family gave the site to the state of Oregon in 1969, and it joined the National Register on September 10, 1971.
The site is located roughly 50 miles southeast of Burns and can be reached by car. Oregon Parks and Recreation Department maintains the property and welcomes visitors to explore the historic structure.
The circular design was an uncommon solution for the time, allowing horses to be trained in a covered space regardless of weather conditions. This type of layout was rare for large ranches in that era.
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