THE HOMESTEAD DAIRY
These dairy barns were built by the Virginia Hot Springs Company in 1928 to support the operations of its nearby resort hotel, The Homestead. Because train delivery of milk and milk products was not reliable, the company undertook much of its own food production, including milk, beef, and poultry, to ensure a fresh and steady supply for its hotel guests.
The dairy includes seven buildings built in 1928 to process milk, shelter livestock, and store feed for the herds. The centerpiece of the complex is the large, gambrel-roofed main barn. Such barns became popular on dairy farms in the 1910s because they provided a large loft area for hay storage. A series of covered walkways connected the main barn to the milking barn, the ham house, the bottling building, and the calving barn. The buildings feature concrete floors, stucco-clad exterior walls, and numerous window openings-elements that encouraged sanitary conditions. The early 20th century was a time of increased regulation of farming operations. Federal and state agricultural agencies produced guidelines on the arrangement, layout, and materials best suited for maintaining clean and unspoiled dairy production.