1915 Linden Dr. Built 1897 Madison Landmark
National Register National Historic Landmark
Erected in three sections. The original part, designed by J.T.W. Jennings to recall historic
barns in Normandy, was built in 1897-1898. Decorative features still extant include
half-timbering, decorative brickwork and a heavily bracketed entrance porch. Other features,
including cupolas, dormer windows and assorted trim, have been lost over time. This section
consists of the main barn and silo, two livestock barns set perpendicular to and attached to
the rear of the main barn, and a classroom/stock-judging arena between the two livestock barns.
The Dairy Barn was the site of significant scientific experiments. The most important was the
“single-grain experiment” Carried out from 1907 to 1911, this cattle-feeding study overturned
the prevailing model of evaluating the nutritional value of foods and laid the foundation for
the modern science of nutrition. Led to discovery of vitamins and their importance in a
healthy diet. Designed as a test of the effectiveness of various types of agricultural feed
for dairy cows, this experiment helped to establish the new science of nutrition during the
twentieth century that had far-reaching benefits across the world.
Landmark Nomination 1
Landmark Nomination 2
