National Register of Historic Places

Grimes Octagon Barn

West Union, Fayette County, Iowa
Listed
June 29, 1986
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
86001428

About this property

The Grimes Octagon Barn is an historic building located near West Union in rural Fayette County, Iowa, United States. It was built by Joe Butler in 1880 for M.W. Grimes. The building is an octagon that measures 65 feet (20 m) in diameter. It is one of 14 known 19th-century octagon barns that still exist on an Iowa farm. The barn features red metal siding, a roof composed of wedge-shaped sections and a hay dormer. The sectional roof marks it as a Stewart type that was named for the New York farmer and agricultural editor Elliott W. Stewart, who designed the prototype in 1874. The barn has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1986.

Location

West Union, Fayette County, Iowa
42.93616, -91.75046

Categories

AGRICULTUREENGINEERING
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Grimes Octagon Barn

This page lists Grimes Octagon Barn. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Grimes Octagon Barn report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Maple View Sanitarium
Industrial
3.2 mi
Fayette County Courthouse
Industrial
3.3 mi
Hobson Block
Industrial
3.5 mi
First Baptist Church of West Union
Civil War
3.5 mi
Vine Street Bridge
Industrial
3.8 mi

Questions about this property

When was Grimes Octagon Barn listed on the National Register?

Grimes Octagon Barn was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 29, 1986.

What type of historic resource is Grimes Octagon Barn?

Grimes Octagon Barn is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Grimes Octagon Barn?

The period of significance for Grimes Octagon Barn is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Grimes Octagon Barn?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Grimes Octagon Barn will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Fayette County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Fayette County.

Explore FayetteCounty ›

More historic places in Iowa

Browse all historic places in Iowa.

View Iowahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Iowa history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Iowahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Grimes Octagon Barn will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report