First constructed in 1889 by the Moon family added onto in the early 20th century by the Randolphs, the Moon-Randolph Barn has withstood more than 130 years of the east wind, snows, rain, and sun. Fabricated out of old railroad boxcar siding, the barn is a testament of the creativity, grit, simplicity, and material reuse required of area homesteaders to scratch a living out of marginal farmland. Her silhouette resembles a caboose, evoking the materials she’s made of. Perched on a hill above the old ranch turned historic site, the barn has come to serve as a symbol of that site. But at this point the barn is unfortunately too hazardous for agricultural use or public access. Built into a slope, it is collapsing along much of the 80 foot span that is not visible to the public. The roof is also collapsing in places and interior structure is rotting. It is a very dangerous building. We’re concerned that only a few more snows could topple the structure.

This spring MRH was awarded grants by the Montana History Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to explore options for rehabilitating the structure. As part of that process, we’re seeking public comment on potential uses of the barn, it’s values, and interpretation potential.

You can participate in the Barn Survey until Thursday, November 10th at EngageMissoula.