Beacon Aug 2023

Page 4A THE BEACON August 2023
Historic Lischge Round Barn- The Largest in the State
Continued from page 1A
He worked hard to ensure that
their business survived even
during the most desperate
times. Clayton also made sure
that his employees brought
home a paycheck no matter
what, sometimes by dipping
into his and Jesalena’s savings.
When the great flood of
1937 put the town of Aurora
underwater, Clayton carried
on. That next year in 1938, he
became an authorized Mack
Truck Distributor. Clayton’s
son, Bobby, joined the family
business in 1946 after serving
as a Corporal in the United
States Army in World War II.
By the year of 1964, the Ohio
River had flooded several
times and Clayton and Bobby
sought to get the business to
higher ground.
Up the hill on U.S. Highway
50 a few miles West of
Aurora near Dillsboro, John
and Inez Largent owned a
farm with a huge round barn
on it, thus known as Round
Barn Farm. The Largent’s
purchased the farm in 1959
from William Beckett who
was the nephew to the farm’s
original owner, his uncle
Wymond Beckett. Wymond
Beckett was a congressman.
Legend has it that a potent
The bill of sale dated 1924.
(Photo courtesy of the
Lischkge family)
thunderstorm fiercely hit one
summer day, so he and his
farm helpers took shelter in
a barn. Once inside the barn,
Mr. Beckett spotted a wooden
barrel and a light bulb went
off for him. He was planning
on building a new barn
already, and now he had an innovative
idea to construct one
that was round like the barrel
that caught his eye.
The timber to construct the
unusual barn would come
from the Beckett farm which
at the time traversed eight
hundred acres. Construction
Credibility • Advocacy • Education • Visibility
What Can The Chamber
Do For You? Just Ask!
812-537-0814
www.dearborncountychamber.org
A BETTER WAY TO GET
THE MONEY YOU NEED.
The team at FCN Bank is ready
to help you find a better way
to get the money you need.
Instead of high-interest credit
card debt, FCN Bank offers
better options such as home
equity loans, personal loans,
home refinancing and more.
The mortgage for the round
barn to Clayton R. Lischge
and Wife dated 1937. (Photo
courtesy of the Lischkge
family)
The round barn as it appears
today. (Photo by
Maureen Stenger)
of the eclectic building began
in 1901-1902 and would
prove to be challenging as
Mr. Beckett was summoned
from his work in Washington
to return home to help guide
the workers. The round barn
would be three hundred and
seventeen feet around. The
distance from the roof to the
floor is one hundred feet. It is
the largest round barn in the
state of Indiana. The barn is
viewed as a masterpiece in
architecture. Many have come
to study it over the years.
At one time the barn had
a well in the center which
would provide running water
The center roof structure of the Round Barn Circa 1964
(Photo courtesy of the Lischkge family)
The old garage in Aurora where Lischkge Motors was
located before moving up the hill to the round barn. (Photo
courtesy of the Lischkge family)
in every field on the Beckman
farm. The barn also had
a windmill on the top to pump
the water. The Beckman farm
was a working farm with
mules, horses, dairy cattle,
and hay. In its “hay day” the
barn would be filled to the
brim with harvest.
In 1964 on Good Friday,
Clayton and Jesalena purchased
the Round Barn Farm
to move their Mack Truck
SPECIALIZING IN
HEALTH and MEDICARE SUPPLEMENT INSURANCE
Utility Billing/Administrative Assistant
The Tri-Township Water Corporation is seeking a qualified
candidate with administrative assistant experience. Data entry is
required so computer skills with Windows, MS Office and Excel
is a must. Position requires a very high level of organizational
skills, ability to work independently, and set priorities. Duties
include: providing professional, courteous customer service,
utility billing and collections, maintaining files, processing
reports, and general accounting with accounts payable and
payroll. Candidate should have excellent people skills and
attention to detail. Salary commensurate with individuals
experience and or qualifications. Send resume to Tri-Township
Water Corp. Attn: Utility Manager,
24192 Stateline Rd, Lawrenceburg, IN 47025
Agency there. It would
provide the additional room
and higher ground they were
seeking. The Lischkges had
to remodel the landmark barn
to make it what they needed
for their business. The barn
was all wood but is now made
of block and steel. Making
this happen took two years.
They used the center structure
of the barn as a form like an
umbrella. As they tore down
the wood, they came around
to build it back up with block
to the roof, which is still
original. Lori Lischkge shares
that at the time they couldn’t
get the block here fast enough
for the renovation. They also
needed to raise the eight-foot
ceilings to get the big trucks
in there. But between all of
the new modern amenities
and office spaces created in
the barn, the ways of the old
days still have a way of shining
through. In the upstairs of
the barn, the old pulleys still
remain from when they used
to pick up the big bunches
of hay that came in from the
fields.
In 2005 the round barn’s
roof was redone. Lori credits
Dave Staggs for saving the
roof for them. At my home, a
weathervane sits atop my barn
roof like most barns around
but in the normal fashion. The
round barn needed something
a bit more distinguishing. So,
Dave Staggs had the idea
Continued on page 5A
fcnbank.com
The BEACON - Great News for Great People.