Flood your senses with a visit across the yard to the cattle shed attached to the barn. Floor to gabled roof is covered with barn calendar pictures with groupings such as the four seasons, round and polygonal barns, American pride and art barns, Christmas decorated barns, horse barns, and stone barns. If you love the humble, diverse beauty, and fascinating architecture of America’s disappearing barns, this orchidaceous display is well worth your time.
     A one inch to one foot scale model of Cerro Gordo County’s first barn is on display. Built by owner Mike Klemas out of wood that came from his storm-damaged 64’X36’ barn, we took the mortise and tenon joint barn down and rebuilt it about 2/3rds the size on my brother’s place. Parts of it were also used in our round stone barn. I completed the model with a double wall, pseudo lime rock foundation with to-scale windows, doors, and ramp to the hay mow.
     Known locally as the Stebbens Barn and Land Holdings, the Bertha Stebbens Charitable Foundation has awarded college financial assistance to qualifying students. Ironically, all four of our children received that scholarship for all four years of college.
     Do you know of any other farmstead with a carpet-covered hog floor and a wall to wall carpeted cattle shed? Surrounded by such an extensive exhibition of country cathedrals conveys a sense of appreciation, awareness, and awe."