The old Hay Barn is Five Star's most interesting and unusual building. The building was constructed by Mr. Mitchell in the early 1900's in the style of a Kentucky tobacco barn. To provide excellent ventilation while still protecting the hay stored inside from the rain, every other piece of siding on its walls are set at an angle, like partially opened louver blinds. The interior of the old barn is an open lattice of supporting beams as well as a unique series of cables used to strengthen the building … it's a fascinating place to study a turn-of-the-century engineer's vision.

Running the length of the building is a pulley system for a set of grapple hooks that extend outside the barn. Wagons would pull up under the hooks for loading and unloading hay. The operator would use the clamshell hooks to pick up a bale of hay and transport it to the wagon or any part of the barn. The building' ventilated walls saved lots of labor by removed the need to turn the hay during storage.

One of the thrills of the day for the plantation's children was to ride the pulley system through the barn's rafters like a zip line and fall into the hay below. To visit the barn, take a stroll along the aptly named Old Hay Barn Road .

 

 

 

 

Five Star Plantation
P.O. Box 40
100 County Road 65
Kellyton, AL 35089
256.234.0900